Cobb salad

This will be the first summer doing Cobb salad vegetarian. I will keep you posted on a proper chicken substitute. Until then this will be for my mets loving friends.

COBB SALAD

Hard boiled eggs

Cooked bacon

Chopped rotisserie chicken

Romain lettuce

Cheddar cheese

Sliced avocado

Diced tomatoes

Black olives

Ranch dressing

Combine all these ingredients and devour. 

Fast Mini Pizzas

This is my go-to dinner or lunch when I forgot to plan.  We all love them, and when Miss Kenzie is old enough to bite through these she will love them too.

Any topping works!

FAST MINI PIZZAS

• 1 tube Pillsbury biscuits - the serving yield is whatever the amount biscuits there are, so you might need more than 1 tube.
• 1 jar of pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Topping of your choosing

1. preheat oven to 400 (unless your biscuits call for a lower temp... if it calls for higher leave at 400).
2. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with non-cooking spray.
3. Open your tube of biscuits and smash each one down with your palm. Set on prepared baking sheet.
4. Spoon a little sauce on each biscuit and spread to edges.
5. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese - or any cheese you like.
6. Add your favorite topping.  Mine is sliced black olives, Dan's is sliced banana peppers.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 20 mins.  Sea level friends, please check them at 10 and 15 mins to be sure they don't burn.  The cheese should be melted and the edges should be golden.

If you have leftovers they actually reheat pretty well in the microwave but the crust isn't as firm.  I bet you will never have any leftovers.

Crockpot Clam Chowder

This is NOT healthy but it is tasty and on a cold winters day really hits the spot.

CLAM CHOWDER
Easily feeds a large family or in our case, company during ski season.

• 2 cans cream of potato
• 2 cans new England clam chowder
• 1 can cream of celery
• 4 cans minced clams - 2 with liquid, 2 drained
• 1 pint fat free 1/2 & 1/2
• 1/2 pint whipping cream

Mix all ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.  My slow cooker is newer so 6 hours works for me.

To freeze: put in a gallon Ziploc bag and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Leave in fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Throw in crockpot on low... 3 hours will do if its already been cooked and is completely thawed. Or if uncooked 6 hours on low.

Lasagna

This recipe, like the others, is vegetarian but you would never know it. I baked 3 of these for Dan's work Christmas party this year and no one had a clue it was vegetarian.  You can feel free to add meat instead of the meatless crumbles.

LASAGNA

• 1 bag Morningstar farms meatless cumbles (or 1 lb meat)
• 1 onion chopped
• other additions include shaved carrot, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 1 T basil
• 1/2 T oregano
• 12 lasagna noodles (I have never used the ones that you don't have to boil)
• 1 pint cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 T parsley
• 1 lb mozzarella

Boil your lasagna noodles according to the package.  Sometimes I break my noodles in half if my big pot isn't available.  Once finished flood pot with cold water. When noodles are ok to touch lay flat to dry on either paper towels, parchment paper or wax paper. 

Cook your meat or meatless crumbles with the chopped onion.  If using a lot of veggies cook separately. Add diced tomato, tomato paste, basil, and oregano to meat/veggie mix. Simmer for 30 mins stirring occasionally.

While that's cooking mix your cottage cheese, parmesan, parsley and eggs together in a big bowl.

Spray your lasagna pan with non-stick spray.

Layer as follows:
On bottom -  1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Middle - 1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Top - 1/3 lasagna noodles, remaining sauce & mozzarella

 To cook immediately bake in preheated oven at 375 for 30-45 mins. (My bake time is more like 45 mins due to altitude.)

To freeze: cover with tin foil and put in freezer.

To bake after frozen:  thaw in fridge 2 days.  Bake in preheated oven at 400 with tin foil covering for 45 mins. Remove tin foil. Continue baking another 15 mins.  If your at altitude or have an old oven, you may need to bump up the timing to 60 mins and another 15 without the tin foil. 

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

This is my toddlers favorite. I add lots of avocado to hers and exclude the cheese and sour cream.

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder (this is not spicy so don't be scared)
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cups chicken or veggie broth
• 1 10oz package of frozen corn
• salt and pepper
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)
• salsa (optional)
• avocado (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• cheese (optional)

In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium heat, cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, broth, corn and 1 cup water. Season with salt & pepper.

Bring to boil; reduce to simmer. Add tortilla chips and cook until soft; about 2 mins. Remove from heat and if eating now garnish with any optional ingredient.

If freezing, let cool completely in fridge over night.  Put in gallon size bags and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Let thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Add to sauce pan and heat on medium until starting to bubble. Turn down to low and let simmer until heated through.  Garnish before eating. 

Dan's toppings:  cheese, sour cream, extra tortilla chips
Amanda's toppings:  tortilla chips, avocado, black bean and corn salsa from Target... yum!