Marinated Tomatoes with Pasta

When I got married many eons ago I was given a cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Pasta, and this recipe is on the cover and it looks so yummy! This recipe is really great with those fresh out of the garden tomatoes.

4 medium Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup snipped Parsley
2 tablespoons Olive Oil or Cooking Oil
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Basil, crushed
Dash Pepper
8 ounces Fettuccine

Toss together the chopped tomatoes, snipped parsley, oil, garlic, basil and pepper; cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Cook fettuccine in boiling salted water till al dente; drain. Gently toss tomato mixture with fettuccine till well combined.

Bacon Mac

Found this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine. Christopher loved it so I guess I will be making this again.

3 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
12 ounces penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk, divided
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided (I used medium)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (I omitted)
1 teaspoon hot sauce ( I used Frank's Hot Sauce and just a couple of dashes)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled (I cheated and used the already cooked bacon)
Cooking spray

Preheat broiler.

Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook 8 minutes or until al dente; drain. (The whole grain pasta cooked for 11 minutes)

Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until it cools to 155 degrees. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart broiler-safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

Zucchini Bread

Mom got this recipe from her friend Gayle that she used to work with. I really enjoyed it the last time she made it but I thought that I would change a few ingredients and make it a little healthier. I have put the changes next to the regular item so you can make you own choice of how you want to make this recipe. 132 calories based on 12 slices per loaf and made with applesauce and no raisins or flax seed.  You save 80 calories per slice by changing the oil to no sugar added applesauce so you have to decide if you want the carbs or the fat.

Combine:
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1 cup Oil - Applesauce

Add:
2 cups peeled and grated Zucchini
1 tablespoon vanilla

Add:
3 cups Flour - 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour / 1 cup White Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Cinnamon

Add:
½ cup Raisins – optional
1 tablespoon flax seed

Pour into 2 greased or sprayed loaf pans ½ full. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes or until done. Remove from pan to cool.

Can be made in 5 small greased loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Mom isn't sure where she got this recipe but it sure is good.

1 pkg. Yellow Cake Mix - no butter
1 pkg. Lemon Instant Pudding
4 Tablespoons Poppy Seeds
1/2 cup Oil
1 cup Water
4 Eggs
Powdered Sugar

Grease and flour bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cake cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and let it completely cool. Dust with powdered sugar.