Pesto Baked Ziti

I made fresh pesto 5-6 weeks ago and froze it. I saw this recipe from Kraft Foods and knew I wanted to make it a vegan dish. I love pasta and one-pot wonders. This made a huge casserole, so much in fact I made two small individual serving sizes for dinner that night with my husband and but the rest in a large casserole for a dinner later in the week with family.

 

• 1 box (16 ounce) ziti pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 package Tofurky Italian sausages, cut into coins
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jar (24-28 ounce) Marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 10 ounces Toffuti cream cheese
• 1 package (5 ounces) spinach
• 1 package Daiya Mozzareall Shreds, divided
• 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. I have found that if you put the drained pasta in a pot of fresh water it won't stick to itself.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage coins and brown. Add onion and garlic an sauge until tender (about 5 minutes.) Stir in marinara and pesto. Simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese.

Drain pasta and put it in a LARGE bowl, add spinach.

Pour sauce over the spinach/pasta mix.

Add about 1/2 or a little more of the cheese (you want to have some left to sprinkle over the top of the casserole.)

Stir well to combine.

Pour into casserole dish(es), top with cheese.

Bake until heated through and cheese has melted on top, about 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!

Chocolate Banana Bread

What you will see in the ingredient's pic is a blob of black and I do mean black bananas. When my bananas get overripe and I don't have time to deal with them, I throw in a freezer bag and toss it in the freezer. Yep, then when I do have time I just pull out the proper amount, but them in a bowl and let them sit on the counter top about 30 minutes or so. The skins slip right off and I'm ready to mash 'em up and make bread.

I made this bread about a month ago and took all my pics. This is the only way I can blog because I don't have time to cook and post on the same nights. So I usually a few recipes worth of photos on the camera at any given time.  I know I have posted a couple of other Banana Bread recipes, but it's fun to change up the flour, the nuts, add cocoa to the batter or don't - just use chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless. I hope you'll make this version and enjoy it as much as we did. This would also be good as mini loaves to give as gifts.

• 4 overly ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup raw (turbinado) sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli Semi Sweet- they also make chunks that I use sometimes)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mash bananas, add turbinado sugar and vanilla -  mix with a hand mixer gradually adding water to the mixture.  Mix until smooth.

In another bowl add the flour, cinnamon, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder.  Stir to mix well.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until a batter is formed.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Place into a lightly greased loaf pan.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is starting to split.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

 

Enjoy!

Thai Curry Butternut Squash Soup

I've been buying winter squash when they are on sale and trying different recipes with them. I've made Butternut Squash Soup/Bisque before but I've seen several recipes lately that added red curry paste for a Thai twist. I grabbed a few of those and this is what I came up with.

• 1 large butternut squash 
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
• 5 mini red bell peppers (it's what I had on hand, use a regular red bell if that's what you have)
• 1 can Thai coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped (for garnish)
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)
• Sriracha (for garnish and flavor)

Cut the butternut squash in half (be careful those things are hard to cut) and remove the seeds. Place in a casserole dish with a bout 1 inch of water and microwave for 10 minutes. (I had to do each half separately since my dish wasn't large enough.)

Once they are cool enough to handle peel the squash (they are much easier to peel if you cook them first.)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot and add onion until translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, ginger and diced red pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add the squash, coconut milk, curry paste and peanut butter and heat just until peanut butter melts into the sauce.

Use an immersian blender and puree the mixture until it's nice and smooth.

Return pot to a low heat, add lime juice and stir. Cook for about 10 minutes until it's warm all the way through.

Ladle soup into bowls, taste - adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Enjoy!