Ravioli Casserole

If you are looking for a casserole that goes together in a snap, and is kid~friendly, give this a try.
Coat the bottom of your casserole dish with about 1/2 a cup of tomato sauce. Then begin layer your ravioli (Frozen!), sauce, mozzarella cheese. Do two to three layers and then cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, then take the foil off and bake for ten minutes more.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Paninis

We make a lot of paninis in our house, but this seems to be the favorite of my guys here. I made them last night with ciabatta and some with a whole grain bread.
Their favorite fillings are bacon, fresh mozzarella, pesto, mayo, onion and spinach or lettuce. A couple of them like to add tomoto as well. If you don't have pesto, it's also delicious with fresh basil.

Onion Rings

We love nothing more than yummy deep fried onion rings in the summertime. If you are looking for a healthier option once in a while, give these a try. They are baked, not fried. I saw them on a cooking show, and I am not sure of the name of the show, so I will have to look and see if I can come up with a source.

They were very yummy, but obviously if you want that fried taste, don't even bother with them. They are simple, but a little bit time consuming. The kids all liked them, which really surprised me, so I think for now and again, they hit the spot.



















Ingredients:

Vidalia onions, sliced a bit thick (I used four onions, and it was a TON)
3 or 4 cups low fat buttermilk
1/2 salt
2 tblsp. flour

1/2 cup flour and a ziploc bag
cooking spray
1 bag of baked potato chips

Process the chips in your food processor until they are all crushed, though not powdery. (You may add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to them.) Add 2 tblsp. flour. Place into a shallow dish.
Add the salt to the buttermilk in another shallow bowl or dish.
Place your onion rings into the ziploc bag with 1/2 cup flour and shake to coat. Now, dip each onion into the buttermilk mixture first, then the crushed chips.
Place them in a single layer on a greased baking sheet. Give them a light spray with your cooking spray to help them brown.
Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Fresh Tomato Sauce ~ In Under 15 Minutes

Trying to come up with some healthier meal options. I decided to whip up my own pasta sauce this evening, and was absolutely thrilled with the results! Even my eleven year old loved it! The best part . . . . I think it may have taken about 15 minutes from start to finish. You can't go wrong with that, either!

I started by sauteing about a couple of teaspoons of garlic in olive oil. Then I cubed some small roma tomatoes, and tossed them in with some sweet yellow peppers, (diced) and some vidalia onions. Saute for five or ten minutes, then add some fresh basil. Salt and pepper to your liking. I served over some multi-grain pasta. One the side, I served a salad of spring mix, feta and vidalias, with my favorite Greek dressing. I don't eat a lot of oils, etc, so I love to use a bit of Greek dressing with real olive oil.
Was my favorite new meal ~ I think I could eat it every day!

Breakfast Pasty

Another snow day today. The boys requested Breakfast Pasty. I haven't made them in a long time, so it seemed like a perfect day for it.

Meal for a Winter Evening

Had some delicious homemade Chicken and Rice soup and Focaccia Bread for dinner tonight. It was the perfect meal for a cold winter evening. It was the first time I tried this particular Focaccia recipe. It was quick and easy, and tasty. I may try some others recipes as well, but I did enjoy this one. I added sea salt and herbs on top of the olive oil, and without that I feel it would have been too bland.








Easy Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

1 teaspoon white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt (I added a bit more salt, because some of the reviews said it was bland.)

*** Pay close attention when it tells you to add additional water one tablespoon at a time. You must do this to bring it all together to a nice consistency.
Directions
1.In a small bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2.In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with flour; stir well to combine. Stir in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all of the flour is absorbed. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly for about 1 minute.
3.Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes.
4.Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
5.Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface; knead briefly. Pat or roll the dough into a sheet and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the dough with oil and sprinkle with salt.
6.Bake focaccia in preheated oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on desired crispness. If you like it moist and fluffy, then you'll have to wait just about 10 minutes. If you like it crunchier and darker in the outside, you may have to wait 20 minutes.

**** Before baking, I took my fingertip and made little "dimples" in the bread. I then coated it with olive oil, and covered with herbs and some sea salt. I used rosemary and a bit of basil and oregano.)

Spent My Morning Rappin' ~ errrr, Wrapping

~ Cranberry, Walnut Chicken Salad Wraps ~