Divine Squash Casserole

Our kitchen was delivered a basket of fresh yellow squash and zucchini. I didn't want it to go to waste, and I didn't want to do the same, tired dishes with it. I wanted something new, and I also needed to use a few excess packages of Alouette cheese that we had on hand. We came up with a quick casserole that was tasty, creamy, and attractive. It was a hit with the customers, and a cinch to make.

Ingredients:

1 white onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 can cream of onion soup
1 can cream of celery soup
3 6.5 oz. packages Alouette Garlic and Herbs spreadable cheese
2 cups mixed broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, and baby carrots
6 small summer squash, sliced
6 small zucchini, sliced
2 tblsp. stone ground mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup French's French Fried Onions

Saute onions and bell pepper until tender, set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine onion soup, celery soup, Alouette cheese, mustard, and pepper, set aside. Pour all vegetables, including onions and pepper, into large, buttered casserole dish. Over the vegetables, pour the cheese/soup mix, combine well. Cover tightly with foil, bake on 350 for 20 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle with French's French Fried Onions, return to oven until fried onions are golden brown, about five minutes. Serve.

Recipe: The Best Cranberry Sauce Ever

Yeah, I said it. The best. Ever. XD

This sauce goes great with pork, poultry, veal, ice cream, and pancakes.

Original recipe.

Ingredients

1 16 oz. bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 15 oz. cans jellied cranberry sauce
1 1/2 cups cherry juice
1/4 cup marsala cooking wine
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Simmer over medium-low heat for about an hour, or until cranberries are tender.

One of my favorite ways to serve this sauce? Drizzled over pork tenderloin slices, garnished with orange wedges. Yum!

Amateur Photography: Florals

51 Ways to Jumpstart Your Creativity

NaNoWriMo is in full swing. For those of you that don’t already know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and consists of writing a 50,000+ word novel in an insane 30 days. It’s an incredible amount of fun. If you’ve never tried it before, I suggest you give it a shot this year. You can sign up or learn more here.

Anyway, sometimes it can be difficult to get into the writing mindset and really let the creative juices flow, especially if your time is otherwise occupied by more stressful activities such as working, taking care of kids, or other day to day tasks. I’ve noticed that many things can help me relax and get in the right frame of mind so that ideas come to me more readily, and you might find some of them helpful, as well. Anyway, here they are:

51 Ways to Jumpstart Your Creativity

1. People watch.
2. Read a book.
3. Blog.
4. Take a nature walk.
5. Snuggle with your sweetie.
6. Try a new recipe.
7. Learn about a new place you’d like to visit.
8. Window shop.
9. Finger paint.
10. Rearrange your writing space.
11. Knock out chores on your to-do list.
12. Tell your kids a ghost story.
13. Call a friend for a chat.
14. Meditate.
15. Listen to music.
16. Take a new route home from work.
17. Start a journal.
18. Take an afternoon nap.
19. Make an ice cream sundae.
20. Exercise.
21. Turn off the t.v.
22. Talk to your cats.
23. Cuddle with your dog.
24. Light aromatic candles.
25. Play twenty questions with yourself.
26. Pretend you’re a historical figure and take a personality quiz.
27. Interview yourself for an imaginary newspaper.
28. Start a dream diary.
29. Drink good tea.
30. Go on a photo safari in your back yard.
31. Read poetry.
32. Go to a museum or art gallery.
33. Adopt a houseplant.
34. Pick a random picture and write 100 words about it.
35. Join a ‘100 Theme’ challenge.
36. Find a writer’s group.
37. Take your notebook or laptop to your favorite restuarant/coffee house.
38. Explore your local Main Street.
39. Research your family tree.
40. Write flash fiction.
41. Send your favorite celebrity fan mail.
42. Take a bubble bath.
43. Get a massage.
44. Buy a good pen.
45. Designate a ‘writing uniform’ and wear it.
46. Keep an idea book.
47. Pick a theme song.
48. Research another culture.
49. Keep fresh fruits and veggies in your fridge.
50. Get plenty of rest.
51. Just write.

Recipe: Pancetta Pasta

Original recipe. XD

Recently at work I was asked to come up with a simple dish using pancetta, an Italian, salt-cured pork product that strongly resembles American bacon, and blue cheese, both of which we had in excess. The resulting dish was inexpensive, easy to present attractively, and quick and simple to make. Here is the recipe:

1/2 lb pancetta, chopped
24 oz bowtie pasta
2 pints cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 oz finely snipped fresh basil
1 oz finely snipped fresh oregano
8 oz blue cheese
1/4 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fontinella cheese, shredded
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
5 oz sliced black olives

Pre-prep

Fry pancetta on medium heat until crisp, drain, reserving 2 tblsp of rendered fat.
Boil pasta in unsalted water until al dente (firm to bite), drain.
Slice cherry tomatoes in half

Sauce

In medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, garlic, sea salt, pepper, fat, and blue cheese, until emulsified and vinegar begins to break down cheese.

Assembly

Lightly grease baking dish, add pasta, cherry tomatoes, and olives. Toss with sauce. Sprinkle on fontinella cheese and pancetta.

Bake

Bake in 350 oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with warm garlic toast, and baby green salad. Serves 6.