meatless monday – Page 2 – SimpleSolutionsDiva.com

Simple Recipe: Quick Margherita Pizza

May 23, 2013 / Cooking With The Kids, Simple Recipes / 0 comment

Quick Pizza Margherita (Photo Credit: Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard on MyRecipes.com) — Photo Credit: Randy Mayor; Katie Stoddard

My absolute favorite pizza is Margherita Pizza – it is just the pure basics: Thin crust, slices of ripe plum tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, balsamic vinegar. So when I saw this recipe for Meatless Monday on MyRecipes.com, I knew I had to share it! This recipe is so simple, it is perfect to put your kids in charge, with an assist from you!

Ingredients:

1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, halved
5 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Unroll crust onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 13×11-inch rectangle.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Remove crust from oven, and brush with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Rub crust with cut sides of garlic.

Arrange tomato slices on crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.

Combine 1/2 teaspoon oil and vinegar, stirring with a whisk.

Sprinkle pizza evenly with sliced basil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over the pizza. Cut pizza into 8 pieces. Enjoy!

(Originated from Cooking Light, December 2002)

Simple Recipe: Easy Brie/Apple/Caramelized Onion Stuffed Crescent Rolls

May 9, 2013 / Cooking With The Kids, Simple Recipes / 0 comment

I am always looking for simple recipes for foods I know I love. In my book, there is nothing better than apples and brie together. So when I found this recipe on the website, Kasey’s Kitchen, I knew I had to include it! I know it will make SimpleSolutionsDiva.com’s Simple Holiday Survival Video Series in November 2013! It also would be a great little appetizer for kids to make and serve for a Mother’s Day Brunch (with help from an adult, of course!)!

Ingredients:

1 Green Apple (I love Granny Smith), thinly sliced
1 small brie round, sliced into thin wedges
1 roll of crescent rolls
1/2 sweet vidalia onion, thinly sliced
brown sugar
cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute onions in cooking spray until translucent. Add a sprinkle of brown sugar and set aside.

Roll out crescent dough, separate into pieces (it is usually perforated for you).

Lay 2 slices of apple, 1 slice/wedge of brie and small spoonful of onion mixture onto dough and roll it up.

Place onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve on their own, or try it with a dab of cranberry relish! Enjoy!

Recipe: Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

November 11, 2012 / Simple Recipes / 0 comment

These cold nights are perfect for some wonderful soups! My personal favorite is Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Something about the curry flavor, the sweetness of the carrots and squash, makes me want to dive right in with a big, chunky piece of fresh bread! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 cup baby carrots

1 Vidalia onion, peeled, quartered

2 boxes (32 oz. each) Chicken Broth (I use reduced sodium)

2 Tablespoons Yellow Curry

1 T. grated fresh ginger

1.5 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 c. olive oil

(Notes: I sometimes add roasted sweet potatoes to this recipe, if I have them around. Just add them to the squash while roasting, or toss leftover sweet potatoes into the soup pot. You can also add 1/4 cup cider if you want a sweeter soup!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the squash, carrots and vidalia onion in large roasting pan. Toss veggies with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon curry. Roast veggies for approximately 30 mins, turning the veggies over several times during the cooking process (until the carrots are soft and the veggies start to show roasting). Remove from oven.

Combine garlic and remaining curry, broth and veggies in a large soup pot. (This is where you can add the cider if you want it). Let simmer for at least 30 mins. Add the fresh grated ginger mid-way through the cooking process. Using an immersion blender (or blend in regular blender in small batches), blend the soup until consistency you like. I like to leave mine a little chunky!

Serve with a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese!