Ravioli with Zucchini, Onions, & Mushrooms

We're still stuffing ourselves with zucchini over here! My parents did a mega-sized zucchini drop off last week, which we shredded for baking & freezing. We also had one from our garden & another one from them, so it was time to start cooking!

Last weekend, we shopped at Roots Market in Maryland while we were down there. I love that store!!! They had this ravioli on sale. It was SO GOOD!! We both liked it better than just about any ravioli we've had. The raviolis were the perfect size with exactly the right amount of flavorful vegan filling. It was slightly less mushy than ravioli filling typically tends to be, which we preferred. I hope to see it for sale in more stores!

That said, this recipe will easily work with any ravioli, vegan or not. We've also cooked perogies the same way.

I like a good veggie-to-pasta ratio, so this is chock full of veggies in every bite. The amount you have really depends on the size of your zucchini, so if you like more or less, use a larger or smaller zucchini.

This meal comes together in less than half an hour. It's a perfect week night meal! My only regret is that there weren't leftovers. :-)

Ravioli with Zucchini, Onions, & Mushrooms

Serves 2-3

1 red onion, sliced

5-6 white mushrooms, sliced

1 medium zucchini, sliced & cut into half moons

1/2 c dry white wine

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. black pepper (to taste)

1/2-1 tsp. sea salt (to taste)

1 9 oz. package fresh* ravioli (I used La Pasta Vegan Cheese Ravioli)

In a large non-stick pan or wok, cook onion over medium-low heat until softened, about 6 minutes. Add mushrooms & cook another 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add zucchini, white wine, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, pepper, & salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until zucchini starts to soften & wine reduces slightly. Gently stir in ravioli, cooking over medium heat for about 6 minutes, or until ravioli is done. If pan gets too dry, add in either a splash of wine or water. Serve immediately.

*Frozen ravioli will also work, just let it thaw slightly before cooking. It may take a little longer & a little more liquid to completely cook, so test it to be sure it's done.

Gnocchi with Roasted Broccoli & Garlic Vinaigrette

This is one of our favorite meals! We first had it last fall, and then I mentioned it briefly in December. At some point, we also made it for my parents, who loved it, too.

The original inspiration came from a newspaper clipping of a recipe for Roasted Broccoli. It was meant to be a side dish, but I thought it sounded like a great way to serve pasta.

I made a few changes (as usual!) & paired it with a bag of frozen gnocchi, making it a quick & flavorful dinner. It's filling but not heavy, which I think is often the problem with gnocchi. Most times, it's topped with a creamy sauce & the pasta itself is already so creamy that it really weighs you down.

The bright flavors of the red wine vinegar, the creamy gnocchi, & the earthy walnuts really come together well. It's a melt in your mouth flavor burst! :-)

I hope you try it out!

Gnocchi with Roasted Broccoli & Garlic Vinaigrette
Serves 2-4

4 T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed into puree or microplaned
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
1 large or 2 small heads broccoli, chopped
1/3 c walnuts, chopped
1 bag frozen gnocchi
2 oz. parmesan cheese, freshly grated + more for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread broccoli pieces on a large baking pan sprayed with cooking spray and roast for 20 minutes. Stir and return to oven for 20 minutes. Stir again, add walnuts, and roast another 5 minutes.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare gnocchi according to package directions.

Mix together vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, both peppers, and salt. Set aside until broccoli and gnocchi are finished cooking.

Toss together roasted broccoli and walnuts, cooked gnocchi, and dressing in a large bowl. Top with cheese and stir briefly to combine. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

Lightened-Up Cheese Sauce

Last week, I had friends over for dinner. We all love pasta & one of them suggested we have a cheese sauce. Because cheese sauce can be very heavy & highly calorie, I decided to lighten it up.  

As I was considering what to use for creamy texture, I thought of white beans. They provide such a creamy texture to bean dips (like white bean hummus) that I thought they'd be perfect. Since I had a feeling my friends would be skeptical (one of them doesn't like beans!), I made the sauce before they came & had them taste it. Both thought it was tasty & cheesy. They were surprised when I told them it didn't have any cheese in it at all. After that, I did add a bit of parmesan, but if you are dairy-free or vegan, this recipe doesn't need it. It's still cheese-like without it.

I hope you'll think outside the box & try this recipe. It's full of flavor & much healthier than traditional cheese sauces. Beans not only add creaminess, but also fiber, protein, & numerous nutrients. It's win-win! Comfort food at its best.

Lightened-Up Cheese Sauce
Coats 1 lb. pasta

1 tsp. coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 small onion, chopped
1.5 c cooked white beans (or 1 can, rinsed)
4-5 cloves of roasted garlic*
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 c unsweetened original almond milk
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2-4 T freshly grated parmesan cheese (omit or use nutritional yeast to make vegan)

In a medium saucepan, melt coconut oil & saute onion over medium heat. Once soft, about 3-5 minutes, add white beans, garlic, mustard & almond milk. Heat until it just starts to simmer. Turn off heat. Using an immersion blender, puree sauce until smooth. (Alternately, you can pour the sauce into a blender & blend. Allow to cool slightly before blending to prevent any explosions!) Turn burner back to low & gently heat sauce. Add Italian seasoning, salt to taste, black pepper, & parmesan cheese. Keep warm until ready to use. If your sauce cooks too long, it may get too thick. Add another 1/4-1/2 c almond milk to thin.

*To roast garlic: Preheat oven to 350*F. Slice off the top of the garlic heads, to expose the tops of the cloves. Wrap each head seperately in aluminum foil & drizzle each head with 1/2 tsp. of olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until garlic is soft. Squeeze cloves out of the husks. Roasted garlic can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Another great use for roasted garlic is my Roasted Garlic & Kale Spread. Roast several cloves at once to make sure you have plenty - it never seems to go to waste in our house!

Tomato, Mushroom, & Ravioli Soup

If you like ravioli with tomato sauce, this is the soup for you! It's the soup version of the pasta dish, perfect for warming you up on a cold winter day & filling you up without you feeling heavy.

Several years ago (before we became vegetarian) I made this soup as the original recipe is written, with the ground beef. I hadn't thought much of it since, because though we liked it, it wasn't vegetarian. This week, however, we remembered it, & I thought I'd adapt it to be meatless.

The result is a hearty, flavorful soup that we loved. It would be a good tomato & mushroom soup even without the raviolis, but they put it over the top. The recipe makes plenty of soup, so this would be a good one to make when you're having guests. It's quick & easy, with minimal chopping required. While it simmered, I prepared a green salad to go with it. The whole meal came together in 45 minutes!

Enjoy & stay warm!

Tomato, Mushroom,& Ravioli Soup

Adapted from Taste of Home

Serves 8-10

1 1/2 c onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & diced

1 6 oz. package baby portobello mushrooms, diced

2 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

2 1/2 c water

1 1/2 T dried parsley

1 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 package (9 oz.) frozen bite size cheese ravioli

grated Parmesan cheese for topping, optional

In a large pot, saute onion, jalapeno, & mushrooms until soft & fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except ravioli & parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer & cook for 30 minutes. Add ravioli & cook another 5 minutes, or until raviolis are heated through. Serve hot, topped with parmesan cheese if desired.

Mac 'n Cheeze Vegetable Casserole

On Saturday at market, they had broccoli on sale, 3 head for $5. So far, I've used 1 head; it was large enough for us to have steamed as part of our rice bowls on Saturday night, added to this casserole, & eated for lunch on Monday. I have 2 heads left. I think tonight we'll have broccoli soup. Maybe tomorrow night we can roast it. Good thing I love broccoli!

This dish is a lighter take on macaroni & cheese. While it is admittedly less creamy, you can always double the sauce recipe to get more of a traditional casserole. The flavors are delicious & it has the added benefit of being very healthy. We love this pumpkin cheeze sauce & I was so excited to have it for the first time this fall! I discovered it from Angela's blog last fall & we had it many times, but then we moved on from pumpkins & sort of forgot about it until now.

Even if you're skeptical of this, just try it. I think you'll love it! It tastes decadent, even though it's full of healthy ingredients. The pasta to vegetable ratio is perfect for me (about even). If you prefer more veggies or more pasta, just tweak it to your liking. It's easy to mix up this dish.

Enjoy!

Mac 'n Cheeze Vegetable Casserole

Sauce inspired by OhSheGlows.com

Serves 6

1 box whole wheat elbow macaroni

1 large onion, sliced

2 bell peppers, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 small head of broccoli, chopped

1 T organic butter

1 1/2 c unsweetened original almond milk

1 T cornstarch

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

8 T nutritional yeast

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. dried ground mustard

1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4-1/2 c panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 9"x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Prepare pasta as indicated on the box. While the water boils & the past cooks, prepare remaining ingredients.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onions until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add peppers, jalapeno, & garlic. Cook for another 4 minutes, then add zucchini & broccoli. Cook just until tender.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add milk & cornstarch, whisking until smooth. Stir in garlic powder, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, dried ground mustard, and pumpkin. Combine, then add salt & pepper, adjusting to taste.

Once everything is ready, combine pasta, vegetables, and sauce. Stir until noodles are all coated with sauce. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Top with panko bread crumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and the top is browned.

NOTE:

Alternately, you can skip the baking step and serve as a stove top mac n' cheeze. I like the baking step because the flavors have more time to meld & the top gets crunchy, but for a quicker meal, it's still tasty pre-baking!



Hawk Mountain

Here we are, ready for a great hike!

Because of work schedules, we couldn't do a full weekend camping trip, but we were able to meet up with our friends to go hiking for the day at Hawk Mountain.

It was a pretty hazy day, so we didn't see any hawks. We stopped at all the lookouts to check out the views anyway.

When we got to the highest lookout, there were tons of people sitting around on the rocks, talking about the hike up & eating granola bars. We walked through them & kept going onto the Skyline Trail. The sign wasn't kidding; there were plenty of rocks to climb. It was fun!

Down we went! I was really impressed with how well the trail was marked. The marks were placed closely enough on the rocks that we could follow them for the easier route down.

I'm getting there!

My view from the bottom up.

We stopped for a water break when we got to the River of Rocks. It's fascinating how in the middle of the forest there are just fields of rocks with nothing growing.  Later, we stopped at the next rock field to eat lunch. Grand total, it took about 3.5 hours to complete the hike. It was a fun one - I loved all the rock scrambling.

Afterwards, we headed to Long Trout Winery. I saw a sign for it on the drive up to Hawk Mountain, & since we finished hiking earlier than expected, we headed over.

It was an interesting place, that's for sure!

Very hippie...even the names of the wine were all about peace & love.

The bar was crazy!

We tasted a few wines, & decided to purchase a bottle of the Burnin' Bra, a peach chardonnay. The description? "The 60's were all about the freedom of choice - so choose wisely and set 'the girls' free." It was fruity without being super sweet, so we all enjoyed it. There was a nice patio to sit on that overlooked a very wooded frisbee golf course where we watched people play while we visited.

Afterwards, we headed to their campsite & started cooking dinner. We had spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce & vegetable foil packets in the fire. Of course, we finished it off with s'mores!

Sampling the noodles.

The fire was pretty smoky!

There we go!

My rock/chair. It was more comfortable than it looks. Sort of.

We stopped at Cabela's on the way home. That place is seriously overwhelming. We didn't purchase anything, but this was the stand out item was the Luggable Loo. Ew.

It was a fun day! We went home & headed right for bed.

Creamy Shells with Arugula, Peppers, Snow Peas, & Edamame

Some nights, I raid the fridge & throw together a dinner based on what's in there. Monday night was one of those nights. Usually, I don't bother with recording the recipe & sharing it with you, but we really liked this. It was creamy & filling while still being light, & it's full of veggies.

If you're ever interested in trying to eat vegan, but you just can't imagine going without your cream, this is for you. The sauce is creamy & cheesy, similar to an alfredo, but without all of the cholesterol & animal fats. Instead, it has a nice dose of Vitamin B12 (from the nutritional yeast), healthy fats (from the avocado), & calcium (from the almond milk).

It's the perfect summer pasta dish because you get the creamy texture without all of the weight. The fresh veggies provide crunch & nutrients. The edamame provides protein. I will warn you - I didn't de-stem our arugula quite enough & it was very bitter. Next time, I'll be more careful!

Creamy Shells with Arugula, Peppers, Snow Peas, & Edamame

Serves 6

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1 lg. bell pepper, chopped (any color)

1/2 c edamame, shelled

1 c snow peas, cut in half

1/4 c dry white wine

3 c fresh arugula, chopped, thick stems removed

14 oz. whole wheat small shells

Sauce:

1 avocado

1/4 c lemon juice

1 c unsweetened original almond milk

1/4-1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to taste)

6 T nutritional yeast

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a large, nonstick skillet, cook onion and pepper until they start to soften and brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add edamame, snow peas, and wine. Cook briefly to reduce liquid and heat through, then add arugula. Turn off the heat while you prepare the sauce.

While the veggies are cooking, prepare pasta according to package directions.

Using a blender, combine all sauce ingredients and blend until smooth. Add sauce to skillet with veggie mixture and combine. Cook over medium heat until sauce is hot, but not boiling. Drain pasta and add to sauce and veggies. Stir to combine. Serve hot.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Creamy Tomato Vodka Pasta

I've been waiting a long time to have creamy pasta without it being laden with heavy cream or other fatty ingredients. I tried a few versions, our favorite being the Pumpkin Cheeze Sauce that I used for my Cheezy Eggplant Bake. That sauce is delicious, & perfect for anything cheesy, but doesn't help me with my dilemna.

For soups, it's easy to use potatoes to add a creamy thickness. For sauces, however, potatoes just don't seem quite right. I have used ricotta cheese at times, or a bit of cream cheese, but neither really get rid of the heavy dairy that I'd like to avoid. (If I'm having heavy, creamy dairy, I'd like it to be ice cream. Nothing else is worth it!)

When I came across a post on the Edible Perspective for creamy marinara sauce, I knew I'd found my solution! Since one of my favorite creamy sauces is Vodka Sauce, I decided to combine some recipes & work up a new sauce of my own. The result is full of flavor, creamy, & perfect for satisfying our tastebuds. No one will ever guess that you're serving them tofu, but they'll be healthier for it. Tofu adds protein to an otherwise carb rich meal, making it more balanced. Added bonus: you'll stay full longer!

I have a feeling this is going to be a new go-to meal. It doesn't take nearly as long as the lengthy directions imply. The hardest part is chopping up a few veggies!

I hope you try this & enjoy it. Let me know what you think!

Creamy Tomato Vodka Pasta
Inspired by Creamy Marinara Sauce & Vodka Cream Pasta
Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped

1 jalapeno

4 baby bella mushrooms (optional)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vodka

5 oz. firm tofu*

14 oz. can of tomatoes

8 oz. pasta sauce

3 T nutritional yeast (or sub. parmesan cheese)

1 tsp. dried basil

pinch crushed red pepper

salt & black pepper, to taste

1 c chopped kale

16 oz. (1 lb.) shaped pasta (penne, rigatoni, etc. - I used chiocciole)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion & jalapeno. Saute for 3-5 minutes until the onions begin to sweat. Add mushrooms (if using) & garlic; cook until fragrant. Pour in vodka & bring to a simmer. Cook to reduce vodka by about half. 

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Using a blender, combine tofu, tomatoes, pasta sauce, nutritional yeast, & basil. Blend until creamy & smooth. Pour mixture into skillet with the vodka & veggies. Season with crushed red pepper, salt, & black pepper to taste. Allow sauce to cook until warm throughout.

Once pasta is done, drain completely & combine with sauce. Serve hot!

*If you have tofu leftover, which you surely will since I haven't found 5 oz. packages anywhere, the best thing to do with it is make dessert! Since you'll need to scale down the ingredients for the amount of tofu you have remaining, I'd recommend using a smaller dish instead of a pie plate. I used small custard cups so that we had single servings ready to grab!

Spinach Dip Filled Ravioli

A lot of my dinner inspiration comes from an increasingly large Excel spreadsheet full of recipes I think look good. Anytime I'm on the web & find something that looks like we'd enjoy it, I add it to the list. I'm picky about recipes, but the list still keeps growing. It's almost embarrassing...but it's handy for dinner ideas!

From there, I decide what I'm hungry for, what ingredients we have on hand, & how much time/energy I have. I'm fortunate, because the Bup isn't picky. He's fully supportive of my quest to conquer my recipe list. So far, 258 tried, 338 to go! And now I wish I hadn't looked that up. Yikes!

This recipe is a combination of two ideas, plus a few variations. It's very rare that I make a recipe exactly like it is. I always feel like I have to make a change: healthify this, add extra that, substitute this because we don't have that, etc.

My Italian grandma always makes homemade raviolis for Easter, from scratch for the dough & the filling. Mom & I made them one year & it was a lot of fun...and a lot of work. I'm sure Grandma would be in shock over this, but I used Joy's idea to make ravioli using wonton wraps. I figured that since I'm using a non-traditional filling, maybe that makes it ok not to make my own dough?

So cute!

The wonton wraps were surprisingly simple to work with. They sealed easily with just a tiny bit of water & I didn't have any problems with them sticking together or tearing. It was a little time-consuming, but not anything near what making my own dough & cutting it would have been.

The end result was delicious. My first bite reminded me of America, Italy & China all at once. The wonton wraps made for a thin, lighter texture than traditional raviolis. Paired with a tossed salad & a glass of wine, it made a perfect Valentine's dinner.

Spinach Dip Filled Ravioli
Adapted from Whole Foods
Inspired by Joy the Baker
Yield: about 4 dozen

1 (12 oz.) package prepared wonton wrappers

2 jalapeño peppers, chopped & seeds removed

1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c lemon juice
1/3 c nutritional yeast
3 c (2 15 oz. cans) Great Northern beans (or other white beans)
1 avocado
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (16 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, squeezed to remove excess liquid

To make the filling:

In a large dry skillet, cook the peppers, onion, & garlic over medium heat until browned & softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add almond milk, scrape up any browned bits, & simmer for 2 minutes.  Measure lemon juice, nutritional yeast, beans, avocado, salt & black pepper into a food processor or high-speed blender. Add the pepper & onion mixture & purée until smooth. If mixture is too thick to process, add 2 T more milk at a time. Stir in the spinach. Taste & season with more salt & pepper as desired.
NOTE: There will be leftover filling, which you can use as a dip for chips & veggies or as a spread. If you prefer to not have leftovers, the recipe can easily be halved.

To assemble the ravioli:

Gather the wonton wrappers, a bowl of filling, a spoon, a small bowl of water, a towel & a platter or piece of wax paper to lay the raviolis on.

Place a wonton wrapper in front of you so that it looks like a diamond.  Place a generous teaspoon of filling on the bottom half of the diamond. (After the first few, you'll get a feel for the exact amount that will fill the wrap but not ooze out the sides.) Dip your finger in water & run your wet finger along the bottom edges of the diamond.  Fold the top half of the diamond over the filling dollop.   Press the triangle edges together, making sure there are no air pockets.  Grab the two farthest points & bring them together in the center.  Use a drop of water to seal the two points together. Lay ravioli in a single layer on platter or wax paper.  Repeat until wonton wrappers are all filled.

In the meantime, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add raviolis. Stir gently one time & allow to boil for 2-3 minutes. Drain & serve tossed in your favorite tomato sauce or pesto.

Make ahead:

Ravioli can be frozen by placing it in the freezer, in a single layer, until frozen.  Once frozen, seal in a plastic bag & freeze until ready to use.  Frozen raviolis can be cooked straight from the freezer, just increase the cooking time to 7-9 minutes. 

Vegetarian Pasta Fagioli

This dish brings me lots of fond memories. Every year my dad would make a huge pot of the white style pasta fagioli & I would pick out all the beans, just eating the noodles. Our house would reek of garlic for days because he used a whole head to make it. Once, he used even more than that, giving it quite a kick.

When I asked him for the recipe, I think he might've been secretly surprised. It was never my favorite dish, plus it has bacon in it. I haven't had it for a few years, though, & lately I was craving the warm flavors. It's a great comfort food!

I skipped the bacon & used liquid smoke for extra flavor. Then I added broccoli for some greens because I love the flavor, color & nutrition it adds. We ate it for lunch & I was happy!

It's not exactly same as my dad's, but it's very close. I cut back on the garlic, but it's still has plenty! Bonus - our house didn't smell like garlic for days. :-)

Vegetarian Pasta Fagioli - White Style
Serves 6

1 T coconut oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz. elbow macaroni (whole wheat*)
1 cup vegetable broth
3-4 cups water
1 can navy beans (or other white beans), drained
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 head of broccoli, chopped
parmesan cheese, to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add garlic cloves and cook until fragrant and lightly browned. Add macaroni, vegetable broth, and 3 cups of water. Cook macaroni for about 7 minutes, or until almost done. Do not drain! Stir in beans, salt, pepper, liquid smoke and broccoli. Add additional water if the liquid all cooked off. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or until beans and broccoli are heated. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve!

Note: Originally (as you see in the photos), I cooked the broccoli separately. When we heated the leftovers, the broccoli was stirred in & the flavors melded deliciously. If you only like crisp broccoli, I would keep them seperate, but for great flavor, cook with the pasta, as directed above.

*I haven't tried it yet, but I think this dish would be even better with whole wheat macaroni.

The Birthday Celebration That Just Doesn't End!

I'm prolonging this birthday as long as possible. So far, it's going on 1.5 weeks. :-D

Don't count, okay?

Mom & Dad were away for the week, so they had us over for the "official birthday dinner" on Sunday.

We started with olive bruschetta & goat cheese toasts. They were really good! The recipe was from Better Homes & Gardens, and it was actually an Olive-Cherry Bruschetta, but Mom left the cherries & prosciutto out. I'm glad, cause it was delicious as it was. We decided that anything with lime juice in it is always excellent.

For pre-dinner drinks, I brought Pumpkin Mudslides. The Food Network posted a mini-recipe on Twitter that I had to try. If you like pumpkin & you like Bailey's, this is for you. Yum!

To compliment the pumpkin in the mudslides, we also had roasted butternut squash candy.

Dinner was a white lasagna that was chock full of veggies!

Broccoli, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, kale, zucchini, eggplant, green beans, & tomatoes with whole wheat lasagna noodles & a variety of cheeses.

Pairing Wine: Riesling, compliments of Dad's wine making

When we go to dinner at my parents, Mom always makes sure to have a super huge salad. Half for me, a quarter for her, the rest for the guys to split. :-)

My traditional birthday cake is always white with chocolate icing. It's my all time favorite, at least when it's made by Mom! She made Happy Day cake, which is an older recipe that she's tweaked a little to make it healthier. I love cake!

After dinner, we played pinochle. All of my hands looked about like this...decent but nothing special. Mom & I were a team against the guys, just like last weekend. We lost, but only by a little! I guess they deserve to win sometimes, too. ;-)

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! It always goes by WAY too quickly!