Summer Soup

Early this summer, we had a couple of cold days.  It was strange.  We have had unusual weather this year.  My daughter made this and it was YUM-MEEEEE!  I plan to make it again once it gets cool again.

Vegetable Beef Soup

3 cans of tomato soup
3 cans of water
2 bags of frozen mixed vegetables
1 bag of chopped okra
1 pound of cooked ground beef, turkey, or Boca

Mix together and cook for an hour OR put it in the crock pot and cook on low all day.

Vacation Woes

We were on vacation last week and it rained every day.  Since we don't have cable at home, it gave me a chance to catch up on a lot of HGTV shows.  I also did a great deal of surfing the internet on my phone.  I've never used up the 4G time on my phone, but I did last week!  While cruising the internet, I found a new recipe and I'm making it for dinner tonight.  The more I looked at it, the more I felt it needed changes.  So I made the changes and here it is!  I also learned that you can freeze quinoa after it is cooked.  I never knew that before!

Quinoa with Zucchini and Spinach

2 cups cooked quinoa

2 medium zuchinni, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 large tomato, diced

2 Tb. garlic

1 container of fresh mushrooms, diced

1/2 bag of spinach (my bag was 9 oz.)

2 Tb. olive oil

1 Tb. water

1/4 tsp salt

Dice the tomato and set it aside.

In a large pan, over medium heat, add the oil, onion and garlic. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes.  Stir a couple of times. Next, add in the mushrooms, zucchini, quinoa, tomato, water, and salt. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and let cook for another 5-7 minutes. Stir every couple of minutes.  Add in the spinach and let cook another 3 minutes. 

You could add cubed chicken to the dish and make it a complete meal.

Good Times, Good Friends, Good Cake

This past weekend a bunch of my friends (aka co-workers) got together for fun, sun, and food.  One of our friends was gracious enough to open her home and pool to about 25 of us.  We had a great time full of talking, laughter, and eating.  Even our kids (grandkids in my case) had fun together.  It's sad that some of these friends won't be coming back to the same school next year, but they are moving on to better opportunities and I wish them much luck and happiness in their new positions.  These are good-hearted, dependable people.  They are the kind of friends who always look out for each other, lift you up during tough times, and can tell what you're thinking by simply looking at you.  Sweet, loving people who have your back all the time.  I'm really going to miss them.  Thank goodness EVERYONE isn't leaving!  I'd have a nervous breakdown if that happened!  Hooray for my friends who will be returning to my same school next year.  I love them so much!  You are all what make my workdays happy!

I took a cake to share with my friends.  This recipe came from my sister and it is SUPER EASY!!!  Yes, two of my favorite words when it comes to food.  It's a Lemon Strawberry cake and it's perfect for hot summer days because it's cool and light. I may have to make another one.  Soon.

Lemon Strawberry Cake

1 lemon cake mix, prepare as directed
1 16 oz. container of fresh strawberries
1 tub of Cool Whip
doTERRA Lemon Essential Oil

Prepare the cake as directed on the box, but add 3 drops of doTERRA Lemon Essential Oil.  Let it cool.  Wash the strawberries and slice them up. Lay the strawberries on top of the cake and cover with Cool Whip that has had 4 drops of doTERRA Lemon Essential oil mixed in.  Store in the refrigerator to keep cold.

More Pasta, More Memories

Summer is a great time for cold salads; especially pasta salad.  This is a recipe a friend of mine's mother used to make when we were kids.  I got the recipe from her when I was a teenager.  I suppose it's sort of strange for your child's friend to want one of your recipes when they are still school age, but that's the kind of kid I was.  She was like a second mother to me.  I spent as much time at her house as I did my own.  Thank you Mrs. Jeffcoat for the memories and the pasta salad.

Pasta Salad

1 box tri-color Rotini pasta
3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
1/4 - 1/2 cup pickle relish
1 package diced ham
3 diced eggs
Mayo to taste
Salt and pepper, optional

Cook pasta and drain.  Boil eggs and dice up.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Chill.
*You can also add shredded carrots, sliced black olives, or frozen peas if desired.

I Don't Know

I don't even know what to call this recipe.  I had some yellow squash, zucchini, Roma tomatoes, and onions and decided to mix them all together.  I guess it's kind of like a roasted squash casserole.  Maybe that should be what it's called.  Hmmm.  If you have another idea, please share it.

Roasted Squash Casserole

4 Roma tomatoes
3 zucchini
3 yellow squash
1/2 Vidalia onion
olive oil
pepper
garlic powder

Slice the tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini about 1/4 inch thick.  Thinly slice the onion and break it all apart.  Spread some olive oil onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Layer the veggies in this order:  tomatoes, squash, onions, zucchini.  Sprinkle pepper and garlic powder on top.  You could also put a little between each layer.  Drizzle a little olive oil on top.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

You could also slice up a red, yellow, or orange pepper and layer that in too.  I think I'll do that next time!