I have been very busy planting my vegetable garden. I am almost done, so hopefully tonight after work I will be able to plant the last few beds. That won’t leave a lot of time to cook dinner though, but I have a plan: Frozen cheese ravioli, left-over marinara and a quick salad. By the time the water boils and the ravioli are done, I will have the sauce warmed and the salad made. We even have some rolls left from last night if someone wants bread with their dinner.

The vegetarian marinara sauce is really easy and tasty. Here’s the recipe:

Vegetarian Marinara Sauce (double batch)

Ingredients:
2 large onions, chopped finely
2 bulbs of garlic, minced finely
2 bell peppers (red, green or one of each), chopped finely
1 can black olives, drained and chopped finely
1 pound mushrooms, chopped finely
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 – 26 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
handful dried oregano
handful dried basil
salt to taste

The reason I chop every thing finely for this sauce is that it gives a consistency resembling ground beef in the sauce. It took a very long time for my kids to realize there wasn’t any meat in this sauce.

In a heavy bottomed pan sauté the onions until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Next add the bell peppers and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (except the salt) and bring up to a boil. Turn down and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the better the sauce will taste. After the first 30 minutes, taste the sauce to see if it needs any salt. It may not because the olives are salty and the canned tomatoes usually contain salt also.

A trick I use if the sauce gets too thick, is to add a can of V-8 juice. It has most of the same ingredients as the sauce so it adds liquid and maintains the flavor.

So if the weather holds, my garden will be completely planted tonight before dinner. My Quick Fix Dinner will be less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Everyone will be satisfied with the garden and the dinner!

The reason I have been making pizza more than ordering it recently is probably obvious. With the economy what it is, we just can’t afford to spend $30 or more for pizza. Pizza is surprisingly easy to make. And, if you watch for sales on the cheeses and toppings, it is usually less than half the price of take-out. Here is my pizza crust recipe and a quick pizza sauce recipe.

EZ Pizza Crust (makes 2 twelve-inch pizzas)

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

2 tablespoons dry yeast or 2 packages

3/4 cup warm (about 110 degrees) water, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

cornmeal for pan

Dissolve yeast in a bowl with 3/4 cup lukewarm water. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt. Stir in the olive oil and the water with the dissolved yeast. Mix well. Add more lukewarm water as needed to make a dough that is smooth and elastic. Turn out on a floured board and knead until for 3 minutes. Pour a little olive oil in a large bowl and place the ball of dough in the bowl. Turn to coat with the oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

EZ Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves

Mix everything together and let sit for a hour or so to let flavors mingle before making your pizza.

Preheat your oven to 550°F. Punch down the dough and separate in to two balls. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a 12-inch round. Sprinkle some cornmeal onto your pizza pan and place the dough on top. Spread with the pizza sauce. Add the desired toppings and cover with cheese. I usually use just mozzarella cheese, but sometimes we mix it up and add cheddar, jack or parmesan. This is the great thing about making pizza at home. You can make it the way you want it, not the way the restaurants offer it.

We often have Make Your Own Pizza Night. I prebake the crusts in the morning. I cook them until just down, but not brown. I usually break the recipe into fourths and make small crusts. Before baking use a fork and pierce the crust so that it doesn’t bubble up. Then that night everyone gets to pick their own toppings and put their pizza together. I cook them as fast as they are assembled and everyone gets just the pizza they want. Everyone loves this; kids and adults alike.

Start a new family tradition. Pizza night!

Since I was going to be home all day, I decided to be productive. I got all the dishes washed and put away. The laundry was also caught up. Everything was picked up and vacuumed, swept and wiped off. Someone please let me go to work!!!

Actually, it wasn’t that bad. It felt good to get everything caught up. Then I decided to start on dinner. I made a delicious pork stew and while that was simmering, I started a batch of French bread, roasted some chicken breasts for future use, pulled together a nice salad and made a chocolate cake. I love to cook and don’t always have a lot of time to do it, so it was nice.

I am also a multi-tasker, thus the bread raising while the stew simmered and the cake baked. You could smell all the yummies inside and outside the house. I also roasted some garlic to make a spreadable cheese for the fresh bread. I got carried away and made another spreadable cheese with homemade green olives in ricotta. Delicious!

Here’s a few of the recipes I made today:

Mandarin Orange and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
1/2 pound baby spinach
16 oz. can of mandarin oranges (drained)
1/4 small red onion
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Rinse the spinach and dry well. Drain oranges and add to spinach in a large salad bowl. Finely mince the red onion. In a small mason jar, combine the onion, orange juice concentrate, vinegar, olive oil and salt. Shake well to mix. Just before serving pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.

Roasted Garlic Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

3 whole bulbs of garlic
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ricotta cheese

Cut the tops of the garlic. Place on parchment paper or wax paper with a layer of foil underneath. Pour the olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle with a little salt. Roast in a 350°F over for about 1 hour until the garlic is soft and caramelized. Allow the garlic to cool before trying to work with it.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and salt. Turn the garlic bulbs upside down and squeeze out the soft centers of the cloves. Pour in any leftover olive oil from the foil. Using a fork, mash and mix the cheese and garlic together. Allow the spread to come to room temperature. Serve with fresh bread or crackers.

Green Olive Ricotta Spread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup green olives (pitted) I used homemade cracked Greek olives
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Finely chop the green olives. Mix with the ricotta cheese and the pepper. Allow the spread to come to room temperature. Serve with fresh bread or crackers.

It turned out to be a great day. It was topped off with a delicious, nutritious meal. And who doesn’t like that?

]]> http://tlcinthekitchen.com/2009/02/unexpected-day-off-from-work-not-really-a-good-thing/feed/ 1 http://tlcinthekitchen.com/2009/02/what%e2%80%99s-for-dinner-tonight-%e2%80%93-fettuccini-alfredo-with-chicken/ http://tlcinthekitchen.com/2009/02/what%e2%80%99s-for-dinner-tonight-%e2%80%93-fettuccini-alfredo-with-chicken/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:39:44 +0000 Tina http://tlcinthekitchen.com/?p=295 I love Fettuccini Alfredo, but I don’t love the calories in it.  I came up with my own lighter version of this tasty sauce and I serve it with baked, boneless, skinless chicken breast and California mix vegetables for a much healthier, but still delicious Fettuccini Alfredo dinner.

I am making it tonight specifically for one of my son’s friends.  They have a band and it meets at our house for practice.  I make dinner for the guys and then they go off to worship practice for Sunday morning services at the church.  One of the guys asked me if I knew how to make it.  I said of course.  He said it is his favorite dinner, but because some of his family have food issues, his mom rarely makes it.  So tonight we are having Fettuccini Alfredo!

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves finely minced or pasted

4 tablespoons flour

4 cups low-fat milk

2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese

8 oz. low-fat cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a small pan, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until tender.  In a large sauce pan, melt the butter.  Add the flour and cook for a few minutes.  Using a whisk, mix in the cream cheese.  When the cream cheese is melted, whisk in the olive oil and garlic.  Then whisk in the milk making sure not to get lumps.  Allow to simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.  Just before serving add the grated parmesan cheese and stir to melt.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

I am serving this sauce over fettuccini, but you can use your favorite pasta.  Baked and sliced chicken breast along with the California mixed vegetables and garlic bread will round out this meal.  I am also serving a big bowl of grapes for dessert.  Yummy, I can’t wait!

SAUSAGE LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil

16 oz. turkey or pork sweet Italian sausage

8 cups vegetable or beef broth

1 pound carrots chopped

3 stalks celery diced

2 large bell peppers chopped

1/2 pound dry lentils

1 – 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes

Parmesan cheese for topping

Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch slices.  The slicing is easier if the sausages are slightly frozen.  In a large heavy bottomed pan, brown the sausages in the olive oil.  Add the onion and sauté until tender.  Add the garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant.  To this mixture add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Allow soup to simmer until the lentils are tender.  Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

You can also make this soup in the crock pot.  Just brown the sausage and then put everything into the crock pot for about 10 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

This soup is so tasty and filling.  Serve it with some nice fresh bread and maybe a salad and you will definitely be satisfied.  Hope you enjoy this one!

Veggie Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

3 large chicken breasts

4 cans chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 pound carrots (sliced or chopped)

4 stalks celery (sliced)

1/2 head of cabbage (chopped finely)

1 teaspoon salt

enough water to cover vegetables

parsley (fresh or dried)

1 pound frozen petite peas

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened.  Add in the chicken breasts and cook until slightly browned.  Pour in the chicken broth, carrots, celery, salt and cabbage.  Add water, if necessary, to make sure all vegetables are covered.  Adjust according to how much broth you like in your soup.  Bring the soup almost to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the chicken and let it cool on a plate.  When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and bones, shred the chicken and return to the pot.  Cook another 15 minutes.  Add the frozen peas and the parsley and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve.

If you like noodles in your soup, you can add dry egg noodles, homemade noodles (my mom’s are amazing) or cheese tortellini.  I like to top this soup with parmesan cheese!  Serve with some warm bread or biscuits and enjoy!

Sweet Italian Sausage Puttanesca

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice or 1 pound pasta

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion – chopped finely

6 cloves garlic – minced

1 pound mushrooms – chopped

1 green bell pepper – chopped

1 can artichoke hearts – drained and quartered

1large jar roasted red bell peppers – drained and sliced

16 oz. beef stock

parmesan cheese (optional for topping)

If making rice, boil 4 cups of water.  Add the rice and bring back to a boil.  Turn down, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Otherwise, boil enough water and cook 1 pound of your favorite pasta.

Cut the sausages into slices.  In a large skillet, brown the sausages in the olive oil.  Add the chopped onions and green bell peppers.  Sautee until the onions are soft.  Add the garlic and mushrooms.  Continue cooking until mushrooms are browned.  Add the artichoke hearts and red peppers.  Pour in beef stock and deglaze the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve the sausage mixture over the rice or pasta.

Traditionally, pasta puttanesca is made from whatever you have in your pantry.  Try adding anchovies, olives, basil or pepperoncinis.