And an A+ from me

I love tomatoes and I am so glad summer is here! I have planted some in my yard, but stumbled across this recipe tonight on Hyvee.com. Man am I happy I did. I had these for my side while hubby had green beans.

Ingredients
1 firm medium tomatoes
2 tbsp mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh or 1/4 tsp dried basil leaves (so excited that I got to use fresh)
1 tsp Dijon mustard (did not use)
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese124931

Preparation1. Heat oven to 350°.

2. Core tomatoes. Cut crosswise into 3/4-inch slices. Place in single layer on rack in broiler pan. (I just place these on a baking sheet)

3. Mix mayonnaise, 1 tbsp cheese, the basil and mustard. Spread about 1 teaspoon mixture over each tomato slice. Sprinkle 1 tbsp cheese over tomatoes. Bake about 8 minutes or until hot.

4. Set oven control to Broil. Broil tomatoes with tops 6 inches from heat 2 to 4 minutes or until topping is golden and bubbly.

Scalloped Corn

This is from my new Gooseberry patch recipe book. It is called Comfort Foods and just in time for the fall/winter weather. There are several things I have already starred to make. Double Toffee Coffee Cake (perfect to take to Lamar next weekend), Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf, and a potatoe soup. So be on the lookout for several new posts from it! I knew I was going to make the pretzel dogs tonight and was looking for a side besides are usual rut of potatoe chips we've been in.

Scalloped Corn
1 can Whole Kernel Corn
1 can Cream Corn
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup bread crumbs (use regular not italian..trust me)
1/2 cup onion (due to our dislike I left out)
1/2 cup green peppers (if I had put in something green hubby wouldn't have eaten)
4 slices bacon--cooked to a crisp and crumbled
2 tbl butter

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix first 3 together, then stir in egg-peppers. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 cup casserole dish. Place bacon and butter on top.
Cook in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.

My take on Baja Chicken Soup

At our local bar & grill they have the best Baja Chicken Soup so I thought I would try and re-create it at home. This is how I did it!

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in bite size pieces
1 tbl olive oil
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3 cups chicken broth
1 can ro-tel
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
1 can corn
1 packed taco seasoning

Place olive oil in stock pan, heat over medium heat, throw in chicken. Cook until it's white on outside. (It will cook more so make sure and don't cook all the way through). Place can of soup and chicken broth in pot and bring to boil. Then place rotel, beans and corn in pot. Season to your taste with seasoning packet (I only used 1/2 for us). Simmer until heated through and ready to eat.

Ina's Butternut Squash Risotto

I was so excited to start using all of the awesome presents my wonderful family got me for Christmas. Here I am using my new Paula Deen saute pan my mom got me, and the new saucepan and spoonulas my hubby got me (he even braved Crate & Barrel the Sat. before Christmas for them!)
My BFF Ashley made this one night for just the 2 of us and we had one of the best nights I've had in a long time, just sitting on her couch with her window open on a cool fall night. I had been wanting to make it for me and hubby and finally did so! It was wonderful and I will make it again!

From Ina Garten


Ingredients
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, I also added a dash of nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade--I used boxed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, diced--did not use as I didn't have any
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)--also did not use
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine--again didn't use
1 teaspoon saffron threads--one more time, didn't use
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside. (Since it is so hard to peel a raw butternut squash, I just cut it in half and roasted it whole, then peeled and cut it in cubes)

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and nutmeg. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan. Mix well and serve.

Bagel Chip Crusted Tilapia

Wow is all I can say about the fish, it will definitely stay in the rotation, it was so very good! I served it with the rice, green beans and some focaccia bread! This came from Sam's Club they were giving away samples!

3/4 cup crushed Bagel Chips
2 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
6 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
4 tilapia fillets

Mix the bagel chips and lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl. Coat the tilapia fillets with 3 Tbsp olive oil and coat generously with the bagel chip mixture. Heat the other 3 Tbsp olive oil in saute pan on medium-high heat. Cook tilapia on both sides for 3 minutes (until internal temp reaches 160). Sprinkle the fish with the lemon juice and top with the parsley flakes. Serve.


Kraft Pamesan Rice (this has been changed very much by myself)

2 cups White Rice (it called for Uncle Bens converted rice)
2 cups water
1/3 cup canned mushrooms chopped
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 Tbsp sea salt (too much with the italian seasoning, I will probably omit next time)
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (will probably do more next time)

Cook rice on stove top according to directions on box. Take off the heat and stir in mushrooms, butter, salt, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese.

Okay this was very good rice, very flavorful!

Cool Veggie Pizza

I think I got the recipe from Kraft, I have been making it for years. This is a huge hit with guests, it's actually one way I will eat my veggies!

2 cans crescent rolls
1 8 oz package cream cheese softened
1/2 cup miracle whip
1 package ranch dressing mix
assorted diced veggies (brocolli, red & green peppers, tomatos)
small can sliced black olives
couple of handfulls of shredded cheese (I use a mix of Colby Jack)

Spread cans of rolls onto a pan, making sure to seal the seperations good. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Cool.
Mix cream cheese, miracle whip and ranch dressing in bowl. Spread over cooled crescent rolls. Top with veggies, olives and cheese. Serve cold.