Baked Yellow Squash with Tomato

Summer time means an abundance of fresh squash in gardens!  I got some yellow straightneck squash from my friend's garden and I adapted this recipe from The Kitchn's Baked Summer Squash recipe.  You could use whatever summer squash you have, such as:   zucchini, pattypan squash (white squash), or yellow squash (crookneck and/or straight).  I added tomatoes to my baked yellow squash just because I had some and I like fresh tomatoes.  This baked yellow squash recipe with tomato is wonderful with the crisp bread crumb topping.  This dish is fresh tasting and a great summer time side dish.  Enjoy!

   
Baked Yellow Squash with Tomato

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced (I used 3 small squashes.)

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup bread crumbs (I used ¼ panko and ¼ italian bread crumbs.)

½ cup parmesan cheese

3 small tomatoes, sliced (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

Remove stem ends of squash and slice in ¼ inch thick rounds.  Toss with olive oil.

Slice tomatoes and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

Arrange half the squash rounds in bottom of baking dish.   Layer tomato slices over squash.  Sprinkle with half the bread crumb mixture.

Arrange remaining squash rounds on top and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture.

Cover baking dish with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove foil and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until top bread crumb layer is lightly browned.

Top with chopped fresh basil and serve.

Serves 6.

Easy Tomato Sauce

I haven't bought jarred tomato sauce in months because I think homemade tastes so much better.  Here is an easy tomato sauce recipe that doesn't take long to make.  You can add it to pasta dishes or for homemade pizza.  I recently used this tomato sauce with baked chicken parmesan. This sauce also freezes well!

Note:  I added in fresh basil since I have been growing an indoors basil plant.  If you don't have fresh basil, feel free to omit it. 

Easy Tomato Sauce
Printable Recipe

Ingredients

28-ounce can crushed tomatos

6-ounce can tomato paste (or 1/3 cup)

½ cup water

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon parsley, dried

¼ teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (or more if desired)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

fresh basil leaves, chiffonade* (optional)

 

Directions

In a large pot, add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water.   (Hint:  Rinse cans with water to equal about ½ cup back into the pot.) 

Add in the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, red pepper, and garlic cloves.  Stir well and cook over low heat. Cook for at least 30 minutes.

 

Add in chiffonade* basil in the last 10 minutes of cooking. 

 

*To chiffonade basil, stack  basil leaves, roll them tightly, then cut across the rolled leaves to produce long, thin strips of basil.

Chili Rotini

Where did spring go???  It was in the high 70s last week here in DC and today its in the low 60s!  So I wanted something to warm me up tonight.  Chili is the answer!  Chili can be easily made on a weeknight and is such a flexible meal to make.  You can add almost whatever you want to chili.  You could make it more spicy depending on your taste.  I have even made chili in a slow cooker.  I love how versatile chili is and I wanted to share with you this basic chili recipe.  You also can serve this chili alone, without the pasta.

 

Ingredients

½  pound dry pasta (I used whole wheat rotini.)

½ to ¾ pound lean ground beef (You may use ground turkey instead.)

28 ounces  can crushed tomatoes

10 ounces can diced tomatoes & green chilies

15.5 ounces can black beans

15.25 ounces can whole kernel sweet corn

1 small onion

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chili powder

1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil

Optional Toppings

1 avocado, diced

shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend of cheddar, montery jack, colby and mozzarella cheeses.)

sour cream

corn chips

scallions, chopped

cilantro, chopped

black olives, sliced

Directions

For the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain pasta.

For the chili:

Dice the onion into bite sized pieces.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet/pan/pot on medium high heat.  Add diced onion and sauté until soft.  Next, add ground beef with salt, black pepper, cumin and 1 teaspoon chili powder.   Stir onions and beef while cooking until no longer pink. 

Add diced tomatoes & green chilies.  Add crushed tomatoes.  Drain corn and black beans and add to chili.   Stir in 1 tablespoon chili powder. 

Reduce heat to medium-low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

You can add the cooked pasta into the chili and stir to mix or you can just serve the pasta topped with chili.  Top with cheese and/or any topping(s) you would like.

Serves 4-6.  Enjoy!

Taco Tuesday

Its Taco Tuesday in my kitchen!  I love Mexican food and tacos are another easy weeknight meal.   You can have a delicious dinner ready in about 20 minutes.  Now, who doesn't love Taco Tuesday?

 

Ingredients

¾ to 1 pound ground beef (You can substitute with ground turkey.)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ tsp cumin

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 packet taco seasoning mix

16 oz can refried beans (I used a fat free version.)

flour tortillas or taco shells (I used flaxseed & blue corn tortillas.)

Toppings

1 avocado, diced

shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend of cheddar, monterey jack, colby and mozzarella cheeses.)

cherry tomatoes, halved

lettuce

salsa

sour cream (I used a light version.)

Directions

For the beef:

Heat ½ teaspoon vegetable oil in a large skillet/pan on medium high heat.  Add ground beef with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin.   Stir beef while cooking until no longer pink.  Drain well.  Stir in taco seasoning mix and water.  Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the refried beans:

Empty refried beans in a small saucepan over low medium heat, stirring occasionally.  This should only take about 5 minutes.  (You can also warm up refried beans in the microwave on high for about 2 minutes.)

For the tacos:

Warm the tortillas or taco shells according to packaged directions.  (I warmed 2 tortillas in the microwave covered with a moist paper towel for 10 seconds on high.) 

Spoon refried beans and beef onto tortilla.  Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, salsa, and sour cream.  Feel free to add other toppings or omit some toppings.

I like to add the refried beans first and then the beef.  Sprinkle some cheese on top.

Next I added some lettuce.

Add some tomatoes.

Add the avocado and a little bit of salsa.

And last, but not least, the sour cream!

Serves 4-6 or 2 with lots of leftovers.  I will probably make a taco salad with the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, yum!  

Easy Spinach and Clams Linguine

I made this yummy pasta dish for dinner tonight.  It was easy for me since I had already roasted a dozen roma tomatoes over the weekend.  This is also simple to make on a weeknight since you don't need too many ingredients.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pound dry linguine pasta

16 ounces spinach, washed

6.5 ounces chopped clams in clam juice (reserve juice)

4 or 5 roma tomatoes, roasted and chopped

4 or 5 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

For the tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut tomatoes in half.  In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and halved tomatoes.    Line a baking sheet with foil and place tomatoes cut side up.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. (You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate.)

For the pasta:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain pasta.

For the spinach:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet/pan on medium high heat.  Add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.  Add the spinach to the pan.  Use a spatula to turn the spinach over in the pan to coat with olive oil and garlic.  Continue to do this until most of the spinach is coated.  Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Uncover the pan and turn the spinach over again.  Cover the pan and cook for an additional minute.  The spinach should be completely wilted after cooking for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and place into another bowl with the excess liquid.

Meanwhile, in the same large skillet used to cook the spinach, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat.  Add the chopped clams and roasted, chopped roma tomatoes.   Add the reserved clam juice.  Add in the spinach with excess liquid.  Add the cooked pasta.   Add the parmesan cheese and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 or 2 with leftovers for lunch tomorrow :)