Best Grilled Cheese Ever!

So we parents are trying like hell to feed our kids healthy good. I hide veggies in everything, but that's a skill you acquire when you go vegetarian and your husband presumes to not like veggies. Here is my version of a slightly healthier, and much tastier, grilled cheese.

BEST GRILLED CHEESE EVER!

• 2 slices of bread
• Pesto sauce
• Sliced Tomato
• Sliced avocado
• 2 slices American cheese
• Butter

1. Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Heat your skillet on medium high.
2. Get all your stuff cut up and ready to go... it cooks fast!
3. When pan is hot, toss one slice of bread into the pan.
4. Add your tomato slices and 2 slices of cheese to cooking bread.
5. Top with slices of avocado.
6. Spread some pesto on your other slice, on the unbuttered side.
7. Slap your slice of bread, pesto side down, on top of the avocado.
8. Flip your sandwich and cook until golden brown.

Mexican Pizza

I have not found a way to make the tortillas extra crispy like taco bell, but they are still really good.

MEXICAN PIZZA
*This is filling but for a big family definitely double the recipe and use 2 pie pans.

• 2 flour tortillas
• 1 can refried beans <- recipe doesn't really take a whole can so you can use the remainder as an appetizer with some chips while the meal cooks
• 1/2 bag (or 1/2 lb ground meat) meatless crumbles
• Taco seasoning of your choice or make your own with cumin, onion powder and garlic powder
• 1/2 can enchilada sauce, green or red... your call
• Mexican cheese
• sliced black olives (optional)
• fresh diced tomato (optional)
• chopped green onion (optional)

1. Grease a round pie pan.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Cook your meat, or crumbles, with taco seasoning as you normally would for tacos.
4. Layer your pie pan with 1 tortilla on bottom, a layer of refried beans, taco "meat", and top with the other tortilla.
5. Cook in oven for 10-15 mins.  The top tortilla should appear firm when finished. 
6. Let cool slightly then pour enchilada sauce over top, covering the tortilla... it doesn't take much.
7. Layer with cheese and add a few black olives and chopped green onion.
8. Bake in over for another 15 minutes.

Top with salsa, sour cream, or avocado.

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.

Veggie & Tofu Soup - Slow Cooker Special

I took my regular chicken soup recipe and had to change it when we went back to vegetarian.  This is a compilation of what we like in our soup, but obviously use what you love.

The first time I made this in the slow cooker, I made a rookie mistake: I added noodles when I started cooking.  DO NOT DO THIS unless you like a lot of mushiness.

VEGGIE & TOFU SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER
*If feeding a toddler use tiny pasta shapes like the alphabet or stars. Also, chop all veggies in the food processor so they don't choke.

• 1/2 bag frozen lima beans (Dan loves lima beans)
• 3 large stalks of chopped celery
• 1 small chopped onion
• 4 large carrots chopped
• 1 block of extra firm tofu... or I used to clean a rotisserie chicken and chop it up
• 32 oz of broth AT LEAST - veggie or chicken broth
• 1 tsp oregano
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 bag of soup noodles or 1/2 box of small pasta shapes

I feel like all the ingredients and measurements are relative to your tastes so this is really a loose version of a soup recipe.  You may like your soup really runny or really chunky so adjust the amount of broth you use.

Put all ingredients into a slow cooker EXCEPT THE NOODLES/PASTA. Cook 1 hour on high and 5 hours on low. Add noodles or pasta in the last 15 mins of cooking. 

For my veggie friends - the tofu actually stays in firm chunks, so you don't have to worry about separation. 

To freeze:  Once cooled, fill gallon Ziploc bags and lay flat in freezer.

To reheat:  Thaw in fridge for at least 24 hours. Add to crock pot and heat on low for 3 hours or until heated through.

Bean & Spicey Sausage Soup

This recipe is only good if you aren't afraid of spice. The red pepper can be increased or decreased, but trust me, it's not as good unless you add it.

Bean & Sausage Soup
* To make this toddler friendly, add your red pepper to your own individual serving.  Also put all your veggies in the food processor (instead of chopping) so nothing is big enough to choke on.

• 4 oz sausage cooked (I use 3 vegetarian sausage pattys - cooked in microwave and then ground in food processor)
• 1 T butter or olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups onion
• 1 1/4 chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T tomato paste <- this is what the original recipe called for but I use the whole can
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or use crushed red pepper flakes in your individual bowl)
• 3 cups chicken broth or veggie broth
• 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, divided
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary

1. Cook the meat and set aside.
2. Heat pan on medium. Heat oil or butter and add veggies and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir frequently.
3. Stir in tomato paste and red pepper ; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
4. Place 1 cup veggie mixture, 1 can beans, and 1/2 cup broth into a food processor and process until smooth.
5. Return to pan. Add remaining broth and the other can of beans. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 mins. Return meat to pan to heat through in the last 5 mins.
6. Remove from heat, stir in remaining salt, half-and-half, rosemary and season with pepper.

To freeze:  Once cool, fill gallon Ziploc bags and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Place in fridge 24 hours before cooking. Add to pot and bring to boil on medium heat. Reduce and let heat through. 

Smoothies to share

Nothing says love like sharing a smoothie with your best gal. Unless of course it comes in hugs, but my daughter would rather run around chasing dogs than give me a hug. So... Here is a super easy smoothie recipe for 1 pint glass to share:

SMOOTHIE:

1/2 cup simply lemonade with blueberry

1/2 cup plain soy milk (or regular milk or yogurt)

1 handful frozen strawberries

Put all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Delicious!

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. 

Egg Muffin Cups

I love these and they are excellent for toddlers. Great size and veggie loaded.

Egg Muffin Cups

• 12 Eggs, beaten
• veggies
• meat
• cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray muffin trays (2) with non-stick spray.

Cook any meat you plan to use.

Layer your muffin tray cups as follows, MAKING SURE TO NOT FILL MORE THAN HALF FULL: uncooked veggies on bottom, then meat, uncooked egg, cheese.

Bake for 20 mins.  Cool completely and add to Ziploc bag and freeze.

To reheat: 1 cup = 1.5 mins on high in micro <- I am not positive here, I have frozen these but unthawed them over night in the fridge so adjust as needed.

Breakfast Burritos

SO YUMMY and filling. You can add or remove any of these ingredients but this is my base recipe.  No one ever knows they are vegetarian.

Breakfast Burritos - makes 12
*If making a bigger batch cook eggs separately or else it takes forever.

• 12 flour tortillas - use the regular size not extra large burrito size
• 12 eggs
• 6 Morningstar farms faux sausage patties (or cooked meat of your choice)
• 1 can petite diced tomato
• 1 6oz jar of mushrooms
• 2 cups of sharp cheddar

Heat your sausage patties in the microwave in a single layer on high for 2.5 mins. Put in food processor to ground.  Set aside.

Beat eggs until blended, optional splash of milk here but it isn't necessary. Start cooking your eggs, when just beginning to firm add diced tomato & mushrooms, and any seasonings you want.  I usually use some salt, pepper and onion powder.

After eggs are firm mix in the sausage.

Heat up your tortillas:  Wet a dish towel but ring it out so its just damp. Wrap your stack of tortillas in it.  I recommend doing 6 at a time.  Heat in microwave on high 1 minute.  This will ensure that they are easy to fold.

While your tortillas are heating cut 12 tin foil squares to wrap your burritos.

On the stack of tin foil, put 1 tortilla, add 1/2 cup egg mixture, top with cheese and wrap it up.  Sides first then fold top over and then bottom. It may take a few until you get the hang of wrapping them.  Wrap the tin foil around it and let cool.  Continue until all are wrapped. 

Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Take off tin foil, wrap in a paper towel. Cook on high in microwave 2.5 minutes.

For feeding a toddler, I just scoop out all the insides and feed with a spoon or let her eat the egg pieces herself.  Great way to give them some protein.

Toddler Meals

Here they are... toddler approved:  quick, easy, no fuss meals that can be made in 30 mins and frozen for a few weeks. Tiny fingers can break them apart and they can be heated up in 60 seconds.

No they aren't paleo, gluten free, or super healthy... but your kid will eat them and that's what's important when you only have 5 mins of prep time before a conference call.


PASTA CUPS
*This makes a LOT!  So it will fill 24 cups + a 9x9 casserole dish for tonight's meal.
** Sub 1 jar pasta sauce for all ingredients except pasta and cheese.

• 1 box small shaped pasta
• 2 cans petite diced tomato (or 1 15 oz can)
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 bag Morningstar farms meatless crumbles (or 1 lb ground meat)
• 1 T basil
• 1/2 T oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2-4 cups shredded mozzarella

Make your pasta according to the directions on the box or bag. In sauce pan cook your meat or crumbles. Add your diced tomatoes and tomato paste.  Season the sauce with basil, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. Cook on low while pasta is cooking. 

Once done rinse your pasta and mix into sauce.  Mix in cheese.  Use foil cups with liners in muffin tins.  Add a scoop of pasta to each cup.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags and freeze. 

To reheat:  Remove foil muffin cup (leave liner), and cook in microwave on high for 1 minute for 2.  45 seconds for 1. 1 min 30 seconds for 3.

 

MAC CHEESE AND VEGGIE CUPS
*Makes 24 cups if you can resist eating while cooking.  Surprisingly my toddler will eat the veggies out of it first and then the noodles.

• 1 box of your favorite mac n cheese
• 1 cup of frozen veggies

Thaw frozen veggies in microwave while you make your mac n cheese.  Once veggies and mac n cheese are cooked, combine.  Use foil cups with liners in muffin tins.  Add a scoop of pasta/veggie mixture to each cup.  Cook at 350 degrees for 15 mins.  Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags and freeze. 

To reheat:  Remove foil muffin cup (leave liner), and cook in microwave on high for about 30 seconds per cup.  So 1 cup = 30 seconds on high, 2 cups = 60 seconds on high.