Vegetable Pasta/Pasta Salad

I've been dairy free for over 4 months, and the thing that's the hardest about it is missing out on "creamy" dishes. While this pasta isn't the same as pasta with alfredo sauce...or mac 'n cheese...(yum) it does have a bit of a "creamy" factor. I ate it hot with dinner, then cold the next day for lunch...thus the reason for the double name ;)

1 to 1 1/2 dry pints cherry tomatoes, roasted
1 box rotini pasta (or whatever shape you want)
1 box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/3c. kalamata olives, halved
1 bag baby spinach
1/2c. panko bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned)
butter or olive oil
Zesty Italian Dressing
Salt/pepper
Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese

To roast the tomatoes, preheat oven to 400. Cut tomatoes in half, toss with a bit of olive oil and salt. Roast for about 15-20 minutes, until starting to turn golden on the edges.

Cook pasta in salted water, until firm (usually a minute or so less than the suggested time on the box). Drain, reserving about 1c of the pasta water.

In a large pan, heat the butter/olive oil over medium heat. Saute the artichoke hearts until they begin to caramelize slightly. Add the spinach and about 1/2 c. of the pasta water, cover and cook until the spinach is wilted. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, and bread crumbs, adding more cooking water if needed to get the consistency you want. Add a few tablespoons of dressing, and s/p to taste. Once everything is mixed and heated thru, stir in the pasta and serve hot or at room temp, topped with parm if you want!

Breakfast (Crockpot!) Casserole

Since my wonderful neighbor is telling people about my blog (Hi Carrie!! :)) I guess I need to update on a semi-regular basis, huh?!

I signed up to take breakfast casserole to Wesley's school for Teacher Appreciation week...and then realized I really didn't want to wake up way early in the morning to cook! So, off I went to the handy-dandy internet, in search of a crockpot casserole. There are actually a bunch out there, so I just kind of picked thru them and made up my own recipes. Yes, I made two. Yes, I actually own THREE crockpots. Yes, I know that is not normal.

Ham and Cheddar Breakfast (Crockpot) Casserole
~Use a 5 quart crockpot!~

32 oz. bag frozen hashbrowns (southern style)--leave on the counter to thaw most of the way
1 lb. diced ham
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2+ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 c. half-and-half
salt and pepper
nonstick cooking spray

Spray the inside of your crockpot with the nonstick spray. In a large bowl, toss together the hashbrowns, ham, onion, pepper, and most of the cheese. Pour this mixture into your crockpot, then top with the last of the cheese. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the crockpot, making sure all the ingredients are evenly covered. Set the crockpot to LOW for 8-10 hours, until the eggs are set and the edges are just a bit golden (I left mine for close to 10 hours and the edges were too dark...but it depends on the crockpot).


Southwest Veggie (Crockpot) Breakfast Casserole
~Use a 5 quart crockpot!~

32 oz. bag frozen hashbrowns (southern style)--leave on the counter to thaw most of the way
1 large bag of frozen spinach--thawed and all liquid squeezed out
1 box of frozen broccoli--thawed and drained
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced (I used a red, orange, and yellow)
2+ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 c. half-and-half
garlic powder
cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
nonstick cooking spray

Spray the inside of your crockpot with the nonstick spray. In a large bowl, toss together the hashbrowns, veggies, garlic powder (about a tsp. I think I used?) and most of the cheese. Pour this mixture into your crockpot, then top with the last of the cheese. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, half-and-half, cayenne (maybe 1/2 a tsp, but to your taste), salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the crockpot, making sure all the ingredients are evenly covered. Set the crockpot to LOW for 8-10 hours, until the eggs are set and the edges are just a bit golden. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and chopped green onions.