Easy Vegetable Pizza

This is one of my favorite recipes.  I think it is a Pampered Chef recipe.  When I served it last night there was some discussion how my recipe was a little different.  I use dill to season it and a couple of the others used a ranch dressing packet.  I really love the taste of dip (in the right food) and would consider this a superior option, but that's just one persons opinion.  I also have a dill hamburger roll recipe that is to die for. Love them.  (Those two recipes are the reason I buy dill.  Oh  and I recently learned to put it on cooked carrots with butter.  Oh yum.)

2 (8-oz.) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2  cup small fresh broccoli florets
1/3 cup cucumber slices, seeded and quartered
1/4 cup shredded carrot

--Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll both cans of dough into 4 long rectangles.  Place in ungreased jelly roll pan; press over bottom and up sides to form crust.  Bake at 375 degrees for 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.  In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder; blend until smooth. Spread over cooled crust.  Top with vegetables.  Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.  Cut into squares.

Artichoke Nibbles

This is one new thing I served at Sit n chat last night.  All the others were already on here.  :)  I also served Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars, a fruit tart and Veggie Pizza. 

2 jars (6-oz.) marinated artichokes
1 small onion
1 clove garlic, mashed
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. Tabasco
1-lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup bread crumbs

--Drain juice from 1 artichoke jar into frying pan, add onion and garlic, and saute until onion is limp (5 minutes).  Chop all artichokes and set aside.  In a bowl beat eggs with fork; add crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and Tabasco.  Stir in cheese, artichokes and onion mixture.  Pour into greased 9x9 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cool in pan slightly.  Cut in 1-inch squares.

Note:  Prepare ahead and store in refridgerator and bake it when you are ready to serve or freeze unbaked 2 months.

MY note:  I actually ended up treating this like any dip.  My brain did not want to eat this without chips, so I served it with chips and let people spoon it out.  It was pretty tasty how I served it.  I'm not sure about the other way.  Someone will have to let me know.  :)

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

I had my dinner group over for my birthday.  We divyed out the food and I ended up with sides.  So I wanted to make mashed red potatoes but needed a fairly simple recipe.  I found this one from Taste of Home.  They were great!

Ingredients

• 8 medium red potatoes, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
• Drain well. Add the butter, milk and salt; mash. Stir in cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

The Best Cornbread

If I'm going to share this, I'd better make sure it is actually up here. :)

1 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups flour

(Substitute for buttermilk: 1 cup=1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar plus milk to make one cup. Let stand for 5 minutes.  Or Dissolve 1 tsp. baking soda in 2 cups milk.)

Melt butter and stir in sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Mix baking soda in buttermilk, and then add in with remaining ingredients.  Bake in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (until fork inserted in middle comes out clean.)

Sometimes I make them in to muffins or mini loaves and adjust the baking time accordingly.

Tomato and Garlic Pasta

This is a great one that Matt found.  I loved it.  It reminded me of restaurant food.  It met with mixed results with the kids.

Ingredients:
1 (8-oz.) pkg. angel hair pasta
2 lbs. tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. tomato paste (we preferred it without the tomato paste)
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Place tomatoes in a kettle, and cover with cold water.  Bring just to a boil.  Pour off water and cover again with cold water.  Peel.  Cut into small pieces.
2.  Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
3. In a large skillet or saute pan, saute the garlic in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.  The garlic should just become opaque, not brown.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Immediately stir i nthe tomatoes, and salt and pepper.  Reduce heat, and simmer until the pasta is ready; add the basil.
4. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse in cold water.  Toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and then mix into the sauce.  Reduce the heat as low as possible.  Keep warm, uncovered, for about 10 minutes when it is ready to serve.  Garnish generously with fresh Parmesan cheese.
5. VARIATIONS: Saute fresh quartered mushrooms with the garlic, or add shoestring zucchini along with the tomato.

YIELDS 4 servings.