Roasted Veggies and Orzo

Wow it got cold today, miserable cold and rainy. I guess we got spoiled with beautiful spring weather the past 2 weeks. So I'm ready to warm up the kitchen by turning on the oven and roasting some veggies. I tweak it alot by adding more peppers, sometimes cherry tomatoes and more eggplant. This recipe is great warm, cold or room temp. Enjoy!


Ingredients



1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Toss veggies and garlic in oil sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put veggies on 2 stainless steel baking sheets and roast at 425 for about 45 mins, stiring once 1/2 way through. Boil orzo while veggies are roasting.
Put all in a mixing bowl and toss with dressing. After it has cooled add feta cheese crumbles and fresh torn basil leaves.

Cheese Rosti- Potatoes

A friend made these and brought them to our homeschooling International Fair and they were soooo good. Its not often I find something everyone likes- and they all did. So I asked her to email me the recipe and here it goes.....
I'm going to give it a go tonight, I'll let ya know how they came out.

Cheese Rosti-

Ingredients:
6 large potatoes
6 tablespoons butter
8 ounces Swiss cheese, grated salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and let cool. Once cool, peel and grate potatoes.
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in large nonstick skillet, add a layer of potatoes and a layer of cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Dot each layer with remaining butter. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons hot water over the top layer, cover and saute at low to medium heat until bottom layer browns. Turn with spatula and brown again.

Okay, I made them and they turned out great except I baked mine in my castiron skillet instead of on the stove top The baby was very cranky and there is no way I could have done it but I have to say they were great that way so thats how I will make them from now on. I had the oven at around 375 and just kept checking them till they were browned enough.

4 Month Check-up

Babe went to the Family doc today and he is 18 lbs and 25 inches. Growing like a weed- loves to nurse. He does have a pesky skin thing right in the middle of his forehead so we went to the family chiropractor for that yesterday. He got adjusted and did very well. My Chiropractor has 10 children of his own so I have no problems trusting him adjusting mine although I do have to admit the neck adjustment always makes me a lil uncomfortable even on myself. We have taken the children for their first visit within a week after birth and then every month or so for their first year and then as needed or as we can afford since our insurance- like most- wont pay for the kind of Doc's we'd rather take our children to. Both of the boys are going back on Monday. I got adjusted yesterday as well and I feel great. Here's my lil Chunk at the Family Doc's today-

Chicken Anyone?

I'm going to try and keep a running list of chicken dishes so that I can reference it when I planning meals or in a hurry and need something quick.

Chicken Tenders-

Grilled
Breaded and Fried

Rotisserie or Baked-

Gravy and Mashed Potatoes, Veggie

BBQ Pizza- Crust, Sauce, Pizza Cheese, Gorgonzola Cheese, Chicken and BBQ Sauce

Enchilada's-
Pour some tomato sauce on a bottom of a 9 X 13 or larger baking pan.
to prepare tortillas -
Spread some refried beans on it, then add some cheese, then add steamed broccoli and chicken and then cheese again. Fold each sides in and place in the pan with the fold facing up. If it starts to open up, I usually pour a little tomato sauce on top of it so the sides stick to each other.
Do that for all the tortillas and line side by side in the pan. Note: For 8 enchiladas I use a 11 x 19 pan and have 6 enchiladas in a row and other 2 are put in the pan in the opposite direction on one side.
Then pour tomato sauce over top all the tortillas and you have to be generous or else they will get dried up. Make sure the sauce is all around the sides of the pan or else they will stick to the pan and it will be difficult to get out after baked. Then place shredded cheese on top of all them. Bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour or until the middles are hot and the cheese is melted through.

Chicken Stuffed Shells-
Boil till al dente large shells to prepare them
Make a mixture with shredded chicken, mayo, prepared stuffing mix. Stuff shells and pour cream soup mixed with milk or broth over. Bake till heated through.

My Babe is Enjoying the Weather

Here's my little guy out enjoying the weather for the 1st time. Isn't he precious? I am so happy to get the backyard cleaned up. I can't wait to fix the fence and put the dogs in the very back so my grass will start growing back and my flowers and veggies have a chance. Also, my lil guy will be able to crawl around out there in the summer without the fear of finding something the dog left behind. Yuck!

Beautiful Day in Early March

Wow, it was 60 degrees today and the snow is melting! I took the children to Round Hill Farm to feed the ducks and geese and to see my sons favorite- the giant pig. He couldn't wait. I love his age- 4 - they are just learning so much and the way they express themselves- most of the time- is so cute.

Happy Sunday Morning

Wow, the last week or so has been busy with the snow finally letting up we went out! So, not much time to blog, just catchen a few quick seconds now. My 2nd daughter turnded 10 last Sunday so today my hubby is taking her and my oldest- her choice- to IHOP and I better get some leftover pancakes!