Zucchini Rice Casserole Recipe

This is a vegetarian recipe that my mother-in-law gave me...my husband loves it! It's perfect for using up the abundance of zucchini from our garden!
~Zucchini Rice Casserole~
3 cups shredded zucchini (squeeze out excess water)
3 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped onion
(optional: garlic, onion salt, dried or fresh herbs)
First cook the rice...

Next shred the zucchini...

Add in all the ingredients and mix together...

I like to pick fresh herbs from my garden to add in..I'm sure you are not surprised...lolMy little helper is just too cute, so had to take another photo of him.

Spread in baking dish and Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

Enjoy! Yum!

~Crystal Dawn...Homemaker and Mommy~

Vegan Tofu Stuffed Shells Recipe

This is one of my family's favorite vegan dishes...simple, easy, healthy, and delicious...this is the first time I've made this recipe using the homemade pasta sauce I cooked with tomatoes from my garden.
I scored and blanched the tomatoes and peeled and chopped them up.

Next I sauted 1/4 cup oil, one chopped onion, and two minced garlic cloves...added tomatoes and let simmer with lid on for at least 30 minutes.

After sauce was done cooking, I added chopped fresh basil and oregano from my garden...

~Vegan Tofu Stuffed Shells Recipe~

Ingredients:

Jumbo Pasta Shells (cooked)

1 pound firm tofu (mashed)

1 TBS fresh or dried basil herb

1/4 cup dried parsley (or fresh)
1 to 2 minced/sauted garlic cloves or 1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS onion powder

1 tsp sea salt

Mix all together...this time I added fresh chopped spinach, thanks to my sister's good idea...

Spread some of the sauce on bottom of baking dish...spoon and stuff the cooked shells with the tofu mixture.. Arrange and than pour the rest of sauce over top.

This pic is the one with my homemade sauce...Bake at 350 degrees until pasta sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

This pic is the one with store-bought sauce and veggies from my garden.

~Crystal Dawn...Homemaker and Mommy~

Tomatoes, Tomatoes...

I love garden tomatoes! I planted heirloom tomatoes this year and I've been getting lots of tomatoes from my garden and still not tired of them yet...so yummy. I've been trying to get creative and come up with different ways to use them...of course the easy way is sandwiches and we've been eating plenty of that, plus also pasta with tomatoes is great too, I'm planning to make some homemade spaghetti sauce also, like I did last year, there is lots of ideas and ways to use tomatoes and I'm having fun cooking and making food and meals with them...here is two more ways I've used my tomatoes lately...Mmmm fresh salsa, I never use to like salsa much until I craved it when I was pregnant with my baby girl, now I still enjoy it and I tried making it for the first time, my hubby and I both do not like really spicy foods, but love the flavor of this salsa I made with:
Fresh Tomatoes, Onions, fresh Cilantro, Garlic Clove, and Salt.

Colton liked it too...

Notice how some chips were lost in the salsa...lol.

Some years ago my husband and I were visiting my grandparents and my grandma made a tomato gravy and my husband has talked about it ever since, I don't remember how she made it and I could call and ask her, but I decided to see if I could figure it out on my own and I did, it turned out so perfectly delicious, especially over my homemade cornbread with the freshly-ground cornmeal my husband grinds for me. This is must be southern style food, because I've had some strange looks when I mention cornbread and gravy for breakfast, but it's one of my husband's favorite meals. :-)

I made a gravy base and added fresh chopped tomatoes, a sprinkle of dried basil, McCays "chicken style" seasoning, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion salt, and salt.

Cornbread Recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour (I've also added soy flour and less white flour to make it more healthy)

2 tsp sea salt

2 TBS baking powder

2 TBS sugar

2 cups cornmeal

2 well-beaten eggs

1/2 cup oil

2 cups of milk (I usually use soy or almond milk)

Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and than mix all together.

Spread in baking pan.

Bake 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

~Crystal Dawn....Homemaker and Mommy~

Savory Casserole Recipe

This is a simple and easy vegetarian casserole recipe that I've been making for over 12 years...it is so yummy!
~Savory Casserole Recipe~
Ingredients:
1 chopped onion
2 cups seasoned crumbs
1 carton cottage cheese (vegans try using mashed tofu instead)
3 eggs
1 TBS McCays "chicken style" seasoning
1 cup chopped almonds
3 TBS oil
(sometimes I like to add herbs...if you know me you won't be surprised...lol)
First saute the onion and oil in skillet...Mmmm I love the smell of onion cooking...

In bowl add the seasoned crumbs, like my little helper is doing...
You can chop whole raw almonds or buy sliced almonds like these...

Mix all the ingredients together...

Put in casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour until brown...

I love to make my homemade mashed potatoes and gravy from scratch and green peas to serve with this casserole which turns this into one of my favorite "comfort" meals!! ~Crystal Dawn...Homemaker and Mommy

Vegeburger Ketchup Loaf Recipe

This is a slightly time-consuming (but totally worth it) hearty vegetarian "meatloaf " recipe (not vegan) that my little family loves, my husband, Brian especially enjoys it. Brian's aunt has made it many times at family get-togethers on Sabbath afternoon. It is perfect for potlucks or family dinners, I surprised my husband with it today and he was happy to come home from work to a good meal that really fills you up!
~Vegeburger Ketchup Loaf~
Ingredients:
1 can vegeburger
4 eggs
1 tsp sage
1 tsp garlic salt
2 cups cheddar cheese (or less if you don't want it so cheesy)
1 chopped onion
6 slices of torn bread chunks/cubes
1 cube (8 Tbs) of margarine or butter
Sauce ingredients:
Ketchup
Water
Brown Sugar
My little boy likes to "help" chop the onions in this handy food chopper that we bought at the Oregon State Fair a few years ago...one of my favorite kitchen appliances that I don't know how I ever lived without...lol.
Or you can blend the onion in a blender to a even smoother consistency, which is the way my husband prefers it. I did it the easy way today though. :-)
Next tear the bread into little pieces...Colton liked helping with that part, some bread went into his mouth...

Melt butter in pan or skillet on medium/low heat and add bread crumbs and stir until bread soaks up butter.

Open a can of vegeburger...

Separately mix all the other ingredients in a bowl...(I love my little helper's sweet face).

Add the mixture to the bread and mix all together and press into an oiled 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Colton and I washed the dishes together while the loaf was baking...

After 30 minutes of baking baste/brush on top of loaf, with this sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup water

1/3 cup brown sugar

mix together
Bake for an additional 15-30 minutes depending on your oven.

Bake until loaf is brown and bubbly on edges.

Enjoy!!

~Crystal Dawn...Homemaker and Momma

My Food Blog...Tomato/Basil Pasta Recipe

Okay here is my second attempt at a food blog, people have suggested I do one, but I didn't understand it the first time, so here goes again. I've had this recipe for quite awhile and don't even remember where I got it from. It is a simple pasta recipe that I make for my family at mealtimes and since I'm still new at trying to blog about my food dishes, I thought easy would be best for now...lol. This recipe has various ways you can make it and is very yummy, especially if you love pasta like I do...my husband calls me the pasta queen...lol

~Tomato/Basil Pasta~
Ingredients: 8 ounces pasta of your choice (or more depending on the size of your family)
1 cup diced tomatoes
3 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried basil or fresh sweet basil
1/4 tsp salt
some people like Mrs. Dash or a pinch of pepper for more flavor and spice...I usually don't.
(optional: 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese)

First I picked fresh tomatoes from my garden...Mmmmm...

Then chop about one cup of tomatoes or more depending on what you like...
Next I picked fresh sweet basil from my herb garden...chop up into small pieces...

Put in bowl and add olive oil and salt...Mix all together...as you can see I had a little helper...

You can either add those ingredients and toss with your pasta or you can cook them slightly in a skillet like I did. It makes a nice chunky "sauce".

Add pasta of your choice to boiling water...

My family likes this kind of rotini pasta the best...sweet little hands...awwww...

After pasta is cooked until tender but not overdone..rinse in warm water...

Toss everything together...(add shredded mozzerella cheese if you want or not if you want it vegan...I've done it both ways.)

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese is also optional...

And than enjoy with your favorite veggie and/or salad, and bread if desire...
Yummy!! Perfect food for little ones who sometimes use the fork and sometimes use fingers...lol

My little boy loves eating it and he had fun "helping mommy cook." :-)






Please let me know if you like my food blog and what kind of recipes you are interested in...Thanks!