baked pasta

not the prettiest. but, super tasty. and, great for a busy weeknight.

this is my goto dish when i have a bunch of pasta. but, not enough of any one in particular. btw, (most) archer farms pasta  is egg/dairy free.

the "meatballs" are 8-10 cooked Nate's soy meatballs.
the sauce is simple. in a blender ~ combine 2 cans of tomatoes (14oz can), tsp dried oregano, tsp dried basil, tbsp dried garlic, tbsp parsley, and a 4oz can of sliced mushrooms. puree until thick and smooth.
about 1 lb of whatever pasta you have. slightly undercooked.
cup of soy "Italian blend" shredded cheese

combine meatballs, sauce, pasta and 1/2 the cheese in a 8"x8" oven safe pan. bake at 400degrees for 30minutes.  with 10 minutes left, sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

herb pork chops

(the older son's plate) i don't like pork myself. but, will make certain things if the kids ask. the older asked for "shake n bake" chops. i made my own mixture and he said it was "really good" "better than the box". that's a compliment coming from a teenager.

~ 1/2" thick pork chops. 4 or 5.
~ 3 slices of honey whole wheat bread. toasted. and ground in the food processor.
~ tsp parsley
~ tsp oregano
~ tsp ground black pepper
~ 1/4 tsp rosemary

you'll need 2 bowls large enough to fit single pork chop. and a sheet pan. if you don't want sticky or caked hands, a sandwich bag works great as a glove.

in 1st bowl mix all ingredients (other than pork). in 2nd bowl place enough water to moisten chops.

dip chops in water only to moisten them. then, place chops in herb mixture.. coat both sides. shake off excess breading. place on sheet pan about 1/2" apart. cook for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees.

mashed potato pizza

my older son loves the "potato skins pizza" from uno. but, let's face it, it's super salty and far from being healthy AT ALL. so, this was the best i could come up with. it was a hit. but, what kid doesn't like mashed potatoes or pizza. definitely not a weekly meal. but, a change.

this was actually super simple. I'm working 6-7 days a week now. some early am, some overnight. i recommend not using a foil cake pan. was a hassle to get slices out as it gave too easily.

~make garlic chive boxed mashed potatoes per the box. i substituted soy milk and oleo instead of milk and butter. they need to be thick. but, not cement. stir in tbsp (or more...depending how much bacon flavor you like) of crumbled cooked turkey bacon. (my older son cooks the bacon. i can't. he uses a slotted baking rack to get rid of the grease. no turkey bacon doesn't give off much.)
~blind bake a refrigerated thin pizza crust (the tube type) for 5-7 minutes in a round 1"deep pan.
~while crust is still hot, sprinkle soy cheddar cheese in. add the precooked mashed potato/bacon mixture. sprinkle bacon and more cheese on top.
~ bake til crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. 10 minutes or less.

the boys sprinkled a little extra cheese before eating. served with a simple salad of mixed greens and carrot sticks.

*i don't cook with salt*

favorite food

what's your favorite food?
when it comes to cooking it myself, we eat a lot of pasta. I'm Italian. i deal. lol.  there's types for diabetes, there's gluten free, there's just every and any type anymore. i have more recipes for pasta dishes than anyone could imagine. when it comes to going out, it's sushi/Japanese food. it's my literally could eat everyday food. it's a place i don't have to worry about food allergies and such. just enjoy myself. the kids love it too. my younger son can eat without me worrying about it there's milk in it. the older and i went to mikado on saturday. if you're ever in orlando, definitely check this place out. the raw is mine.

pot roast

everyone has those super quick easy go-tos. i'm the queen of fast easy food. my kids ask for this. i would make it on the stove. but, needed 3 or more hours to make it. not good.

simple pot roast

3 or 4 lb beef roast
1 can of premade gravy; low sodium variety
tsp dried garlic
tbsp dried parsley
water (enough to cover meat in pot)

everything in the crockpot. set to 160 internal. insert probe. cover and it'll be ready when you are.
dehydrated mashed potatos are an easy way to thicken the gravy at the end if you'd like.
the kidlets like it with mashed potatos and raw carrots.

crockpots and cameras

i really love having a crockpot. i work very strange hours compared to most. my day generally starts around 4am. so, come dinnertime I'm exhausted. i recently got a huntington beach crockpot on sale and have been using the death out of it. it's so simple i even taught the guys how to get things started. <~~~not that that'll even happen.

forgive the lack of photos. my camera and 3 yr old got together. it works. just over exposure for everything. bear with me.

mcd's

i just saw this article and just wow. i rarely let my kids eat fast food or junk. the older son can be a fight. ah teens. the younger would rather fruit over any junk. check this article out. she left a McDonald's happy meal out on a shelf for 6 months. i think this further adds to my never letting the boys eat mcd's.

just wow! <~~~~clickyclick

soy yogurt

i used to love yogurt with honey. but, seeing as how i can't have the yogurt anymore. so, we tried soy yogurt with a bit of honey. i don't know what brand you use. but, we used o'soy brand. it tasted like rotten milk. tried it with and without the honey. no thanks.

maybe a different brand?

looking- vegan bread

anyone have a tasty vegan bread recipe? i'm buying now at whole foods. but, don't make it there every week. so, i'm looking for something easy and milk/egg free.