Quinoa Pizza Casserole

This casserole is a perfect way to introduce kids to quinoa.  It’s sure to please even the pickiest eaters 

Photo Courtesy of First Kitchen

Ingredients:

3 c. vegetable stock

1 1/2 c. quinoa

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)

1 red bell pepper, diced (optional)

1/2 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (or 2 cups pasta sauce)

1 c. 2% Small Curd Cottage Cheese

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 c. grated parmesan, divided

1 tbsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Pepperoni (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Bring stock to a boil in a pot.  Rinse quinoa under running water for a minute, until no longer murky. Add quinoa to vegetable stock, stir and turn to simmer.  Cook for 15-18 minutes, until stock is absorbed, stirring every few minutes.  Heat a saute' pan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Add mushrooms, peppers, onion and garlic, stir and saute' for 10 minutes, until liquid is cooked out and vegetables begin to caramelize.  Remove from heat.  When quinoa is cooked, add tomato sauce, cottage cheese, half of the mozzarella and parmesan, basil, oregano, fennel, crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well, add vegetables from pan and stir well.  Pour into a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and pepperoni slices. Place in the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes, until cheese is golden and casserole is bubbly.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (3/10/2013-3/16/2013)
Tomato Sauce	Ragu Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) $0.99 with coupon Nash Brothers Trading Company Organic Pasta Sauce on Sale 2/$5.00
Cheese	Our Family Shredded Cheese (16 oz.) on sale for $3.99
Bell Peppers	Green Bell Peppers on sale 2 for $3.00
Onions	Yellow Onions (3 lb. bag) on sale for $2.49

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (3/10/2013-3/16/2013)
Tomato Sauce	Ragu Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) on sale for $1.49 Classico Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) on sale for 2 for $4.00
Shredded Cheese	Essential Everyday Shredded Cheese (6-8 oz) on sale 2 for $5.00.  Crystal Farms Shredded Cheese (32 oz.) on sale for $9.99

Grandma Brown's Corn Chowder

Photo Courtesy of MyRecipes

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 small onions, diced

2 tablespoons margarine

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

6 small potatoes, cubed

2 carrots, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:

Fry bacon in pan until almost done. Add onions and celery, and sauté until lightly browned.  Transfer to a cooking pot. Add cream-style corn, kernel corn, butter, and broth. Add carrots and potatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes.  Mix together flour and a little water to form a paste.  Add milk and flour paste. You might want to add more flour paste, depending on how thick you like your chowder. Simmer for 30 minutes or until you are ready to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (3/3/2013-3/9/2013)
Bacon	John Morrell Bacon (16 oz.) on sale for $4.39 Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon (12 oz.) on sale 2 for $5.00
Corn	Butter Kernel Canned Vegetables (15 oz.) on sale 3 for $2.00
Potatoes	Russet or Red Potatoes (10 lb. bag) on sale for $2.99
Onions	Yellow Onions (3 lb. bag) on sale for $2.49

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (3/3/2013-3/9/2013)
Chicken Broth	Swanson’s Chicken Broth (32 oz.) on sale 2 for $4.00
Corn	Essential Everyday Frozen Vegetables (16 oz.) on sale 4 for $5.00
Onion	Yellow Onions (2 lb. bag) on sale for $1.48
Potatoes	Perfect Size Russet Potatoes (5 lb. bag) on sale for $2.48
Bacon	Oscar Mayer Bacon (12-16 oz.) 2 for $6.00 with coupon
Milk	Land O’Lakes White Milk (1 gallon) 2 for $6.00 with coupon

Spaghetti With Roasted Tomatoes and Ricotta

Photo Courtesy of MyRecipes

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

5 garlic cloves, smashed

2 2/3 cups cherry tomatoes

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ cup (2 ounces) ricotta or goat cheese

½ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (basil, parsley, chives)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain and return it to the pot.  Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar , ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Roast the tomatoes, tossing once, until they begin to burst (20-25 minutes).  Toss the pasta with the tomatoes and herbs.  Garnish with dollops of ricotta or goat cheese.     

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (3/3/2012-3/9/2013)
Pasta	Barilla Pasta on sale 4 for $5.00
Olive Oil	Bertolli Olive Oil (15 oz.) on sale for $5.99

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (3/3/2013-3/9/2013)
Tomatoes	Farm Stand Grape Tomatoes (pint) on sale 2 for $.00
Pasta	Dreamfield’s Pasta (13.5 oz.) on sale 2 for $4.00
Olive Oil	Pompeian Extra Virgin, Pure, or Light Olive Oil (16 oz.) on sale for $4.49
Salt/Pepper	McCormick Grinders on sale 2 for $4.00

Tofu BLT

This is the vegetarian version of a BLT.  While it doesn't have bacon, it's bursting with tons of other flavors!


Photo Courtesy of EatingWell

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

14 ounces water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained and rinsed*

4 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

8 slices crusty whole-wheat bread, toasted

4 pieces green-leaf lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a baking sheet (liberally) with cooking spray.

Combine mustard, soy sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Slice tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a spoon, spread half the mustard mixture on one side of the tofu. Turn the slices over and spread the remaining mixture on the other side.  Bake the tofu for 20 minutes.  Spread the mayo on toasted bread. Divide the tofu, lettuce and tomato among 4 slices of toast and top with the remaining toast to make 4 sandwiches. Cut in half to serve.

* New to tofu?  There are two main types of tofu: silken (which comes in a cardboard container), and regular (which comes in a plastic carton that is usually sealed with clear plastic).  Silken tofu breaks apart easily and is great for soups and sauces.  Regular tofu tends to hold its shape better and is slightly firmer to the touch.  For this recipe, I would recommend using regular tofu.  To prepare tofu, drain any water from the tofu and place the block of tofu on a stack of kitchen towels.  Squeeze any moisture out of the tofu (this will help the tofu absorb the sauce) and let rest for 20-30 minutes to drain.  You can store your tofu in the fridge for 2-3 days, or can freeze it for later use.  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Bread	Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread (20 oz. loaf) on sale 2 for $5.00
Cooking Spray	Our Family Cooking Spray (5-6 oz) on sale for $2.49

  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (2/24/2013-3/2/2013)
Tomatoes	Roma Tomatoes on Sale for $1.00/lb
Bread	Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread on sale for $3.29
Lettuce	Wild Harvest Organic Salad Blend (5 oz.) on sale 2 for $6.00