Tomato Basil Soup

6 medium fresh tomatoes, or 28 oz can
2 cups chicken broth
6 to 8 basil leaves
1 carrot (if you don't have a good blender, leave this out)
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream or milk
2 T olive oil
salt to taste

Blend everything in a blender. Cook in a pan for 15 minutes.

This is really good served with a grilled cheese and apple sandwich

Green Beans and Ham

OK I give up. This stinking blog site keeps telling me I have exceeded my number of photos and so I can't put another one on. Nice. So here is the recipe sans a photo.

Fresh greens beans
About 1 cup water
1/4 c. butter
fresh minced garlic
ham, chopped into cubes
onion, chopped
fresh mushrooms (optional - I have made it with and without)
salt and pepper

Put everything in a pan, cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 min, or until green beans are tender. Don't drain off juice. Spoon out beans, etc. with a slotted spoon onto plate when you are ready to eat.

Our Recipes Are Great and All

but check out this food blog. (Holls, this is the one I was telling you about.)

jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

For starters, I think I will make the zucchini cake with sour cream frosting, s'more cookies, double chocolate zucchini muffins, chocolate hot fudge cake, oreo turtle bars.... mmm I am about to gain 10 pounds.

Turkey Meatballs with Peanut Sauce

1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
onion salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper
Mix together and form into balls. Cook in skillet until cooked through. Add sauce below and heat.

Sauce:
1/4 c. peanut butter (I used Adams chunky)
2 T. soy sauce
3 T. sugar
1 t. sesame oil

Italian Chicken Pasta Bake

Olive oil cooking spray
1/4 c frozen chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 small zucchini, diced
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned/chunked (I used the leftover chicken legs we cooked on the smoker)
8 oz mozzarella or Italian cheese, divided
9 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente

Preheat oven to 400. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic, saute one minute. Add mushrooms and zucchini and saute for 5 min. Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and sugar, stir. Remove from heat, add chicken and 1 cup cheese, stir. Spread pasta evenly in bottom of baking dish. Top with chicken/veggie mixture, making sure all pasta is covered. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake uncovered for 20 min until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 5 min before serving.

Creamy Baked Ziti- from Allrecipes

4 cups ziti or penne pasta, uncooked
2 cups pasta sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
185 grams cream cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
3/4 cups parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside. In large saucepan, combine the pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, and cream cheese unil heated through and cream cheese is blended in. Put pasta in the saucepan and combine with sauce. Pour half of the mixture in a 9x 13 pan. Sprinkle 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese over it. Then pour the rest of the pasta mixure on top. Top with remaing mozzarella cheese and parmasan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 min. or until heated through.

Baked Spaghetti

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked
1 Tbsp. Worchesershire sauce
1-1/2 to 2 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 can tomato soup
Juice from 1 can of green or black olives(save olives and slice for top)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 lb. grated mild cheddar cheese
Tomao juice or V-8 juice ( optional)

In saucepan, brown ground beef with onions. Or you can just add some onion powder. Add tomato soup and juice from olives, chili powder, Worchesershire sauce, garlic salt and pepper. Simmer for 1/2 hour. Prepare 8 ox. spaghetti according to directions. Combine wih sauce in casserole dish. Spread mushroom soup on top and layer with cheese and sliced olives. (in that order) Bake a 350 degrees covered for 30 min. This is really good served with a green salad and French bread.