Mediterranean Pasta

I've had this recipe in my personal cookbook for about 15 years. It is my version of a dish from a restaurant in Athens, GA. I don't think I've made it since I moved away from Athens in 1997. I'm not sure why.

I guess when I looked at the ingredients more recently, it seemed like it was missing something, like maybe it needed more sauce?

Now, I'm really sad that I haven't been making it on a regular basis. Eddie even asked me why I had been hiding this dish from him. Not to worry, sweetie, we will be adding this to the rotation.



MEDITERRANEAN PASTA

8 ounces cooked thin spaghetti
1/4 cup pitted and sliced Greek olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup sliced or chopped banana peppers
3 tablespoons basil pesto
1 tablespoon olive oil (adjust oil based on how much oil is in your pesto)

After draining pasta, combine all ingredients in same pot. Return to stove and cook a few minutes until other ingredients are warm.

Yield: 2 - 3 main dish servings

Optional: Top with a grilled or sautéed chicken breast seasoned with Greek or Italian seasoning.

Big Square Pancake

This is another new recipe that turned out great!

I've never even made pancakes the regular way. It seemed like too much trouble and you have to cook them in batches. This one cooks in the oven and would be easy to double if you have more than two people in your household.

BIG SQUARE PANCAKE

3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lightly grease an 8 x 8 baking dish. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together milk, butter and egg. Add sugar, then gradually stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Top of pancake will not brown. Cut into squares or triangles to serve. Top with confectioner’s sugar and pancake syrup.

Yield: 4 pancakes

Next time, I will try dropping in some blueberries or chocolate chips. Any number of additions would work with this.

I found the recipe at My Tasty Treasures.

Fiesta Ravioli Bake

This dish is one of those that puts together really simple ingredients and tastes like something so much more. You will be amazed that it tastes so, so good. It would also be really easy to keep the ingredients on hand for an entertaining emergency.

FIESTA RAVIOLI BAKE

1 (25 ounce) package frozen beef ravioli
1 (12 ounce) jar chunky salsa
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce (La Preferida)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
crushed tortilla chips
sour cream
chopped cilantro

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, combine salsa, enchilada sauce, beans and corn. Mix together with ravioli and pour into a 13 x 9 baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Top each serving with crushed chips, sour cream and cilantro.

Yield: 6 servings

Eddie chose to serve his like this. Looks like Fiesta Ravioli Nachos!!

I found this recipe at Cassie Craves.

School Stuff

This quarter is almost done, I just have a week and a half left. Unfortunately, that includes 3 big tests: a lab final on Tuesday, lecture test #4 on Thursday and a cumulative final exam the next Tuesday. Focus, focus, focus...

This week, we covered several topics: spinal cord, nerves, nerve reflexes, the eye and ear.

Didn't that look fun??

Word of the Day:

(I like the long, weird words)

proprioception:

The unconscious perception of movement and spatial orientation arising from stimuli within the body itself. (In other words, knowing where your body parts are at all times!) There are receptors all over that are continuously telling your brain what all your body parts are doing.

Did you know?
(interesting or amazing facts)

There are touch receptors located throughout your skin, but they are not evenly distributed. In other words, some parts of the body have higher concentrations of receptors, giving you more sensitivity. Try this experiment on a friend: Have the friend close their eyes. Using 2 slightly pointed objects (keys, pencils) touch the person on the back, thigh, hand, face... Each time, ask them if they feel one or two points on their skin. They will be able to tell it was two points on some parts, but other parts will feel like just one!

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

This is a new recipe that I tried earlier this week. It makes a lighter and fluffier banana bread than I was expecting. It's really tasty but I think I would prefer it a little denser and it needs more banana flavor.

Next time, I will add more bananas and a little less flour.

You can find the recipe at myrecipes.com.

Lemon Cookies

Today, it is dreary, cold, wet and snowing. Just a little over a week ago we had a taste of spring with a beautiful sunny weekend. That is when I made these cookies. They were like a taste of spring, too.



LEMON COOKIES

1 (18.25 oz) package lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
grated zest from 1 lemon
powdered sugar for decoration

Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, lemon juice & lemon zest until well blended. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes, and up to overnight to make the dough easier to handle. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and then drop into a small bowl of powdered sugar. Roll around until lightly or heavily covered, depending on how much you want. Once sugared, place on an ungreased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.

Yield: 5 dozen

Note: I plan to use more lemon juice next time to increase the lemonyness (that's a word, isn't it?).

Orange Cranberry Wine Punch

I invented this a week or so ago. It'll be even better out on the deck when it's gets warmer outside.

I don't have any measurements for you. I don't think they're that important for this.

I used one bottle of Chardonnay. Make a mixture of these ingredients (orange juice, cranberry juice, ginger ale) to match the amount of wine. (We're making the drink half strength.) Mix it all together and serve over ice.

Less cranberry juice than orange juice... more ginger ale than the orange juice... Something like that! You really can't go wrong.