Take A Bite Out of Boca

A South Florida Foodie's Guide to Culinary Adventures In & Out of the Kitchen

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole

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When you’re looking for a low carb and low sugar option for lunch or dinner, make this Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole. Change it up with different vegetables depending on what’s in season!

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole

Some people really don’t like using spaghetti squash as a pasta alternative. I’ve heard complaints about the texture and how it just doesn’t quite do it for them. I am not one of those people. When I first discovered the wonders of spaghetti squash, I made it over and over again — I added pumpkin to it, paired it with turkey meatballs (when I still ate meat), made it Mediterranean-style, and smothered it in pesto. Today, I’m mixing it with tomatoes, zucchini and yellow squash and topping it with lots of ooey, gooey mozzarella — because if you’re going to leave out the carbs, let’s load up on the cheese instead!

I kept things all about the squash today, but feel free to swap them out for whatever you prefer. Mushrooms and spinach would be another yummy combination — which I’ve actually done before too, right here. This Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole is a healthy choice for lunch or dinner, especially if you are cooking for those who may have food restrictions. It’s low in calories, carbs and sugar, and it’s gluten-free!

Speaking of food restrictions, if you follow me on Facebook, you may have seen Saturday’s post about the medical condition I have been diagnosed with — GSID (Genetic Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency). GSID is a rare disorder that affects a person’s ability to digest certain sugars due to absent or low levels of two digestive enzymes, sucrase and isomaltase. Sucrase and isomaltase are involved in the digestion of sugar and starch. That’s where the inspiration for this Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole came from. I’ve been looking for low-sucrose and low-starch recipes to make at home, and this hit the spot!

Even if you’re a carb-crazy, pasta and meat-loving sugar-fiend, you’ll still love this Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole. And if you really can’t handle the no-carb thing, just add breadcrumbs on top. I won’t be mad.

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole
 
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When you're looking for a low carb and low sugar option for lunch or dinner, make this Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Veggie Casserole. Change it up with different vegetables depending on what's in season!
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
  • 1 whole spaghetti squash
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 1 yellow squash, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 16 oz. tomato sauce
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan
  • 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 1½ qt baking dish. Set aside.
  2. Use a sharp knife to make slits all over the spaghetti squash and cook in the microwave for 10-12 minutes, or until soft. (Can also be roasted in the oven for 45-60 min at 375 degrees).
  3. Heat oil in a large saute pan and add the garlic, zucchini and yellow squash.
  4. Cook over medium heat until tender.
  5. When the spaghetti squash is done cooking, scoop out the seeds and use a fork to scrape the flesh from the peel. It will look like strings of spaghetti.
  6. Add the squash flesh into your prepared casserole dish and mix in the cooked veggies, diced tomatoes, sauce, parmesan cheese and about half of the mozzarella.
  7. Mix until well-combined. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes
Adapted from PopSugar's Gluten-Free Cheesy Veggie "Pasta" Bake: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Recipe-Gluten-Free-Cheesy-Veggie-Pasta-Bake-20317594

 

Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole #SundaySupper

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Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole is a healthier and tastier approach to the classic Green Bean Casserole dish — no canned cream of mushroom soup or store-bought fried onions here!

shredded brussels sprouts casserole

Casseroles are the king of all party foods. When you’re invited to a dinner party or family gathering and asked to bring a dish, the easiest thing to make is some kind of casserole. It’s perfect for serving large groups of people, especially in a buffet-style environment, and easy to make ahead of time. There are SO many different kinds of casseroles — sweet and savory. Each of us at #SundaySupper have made our favorites to share with you today. Big thanks to today’s host, Alice of A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen!

I can’t believe I haven’t shared this Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole with you yet — I made it for Thanksgiving! But I was waiting for today’s #SundaySupper event so I’ve had to keep it to myself all this time. My family loved the casserole. It’s a nice changeup from that classic Green Bean Casserole dish that is often served for Thanksgiving. There is a slight spiciness that almost tastes like horseradish, but it’s actually from the Brussels sprouts! Because they are blanched and not roasted or sautéed in any additional flavors, they retain their bitterness. But when paired with the rest of the ingredients in this casserole, that bitterness takes on new life and becomes absolutely delicious. 

shredded brussels sprouts casserole

The best part about this Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole is definitely the crispy onions on top. I coated them in a little flour and panko bread crumbs and baked them instead of frying. They add such an intense flavor and crunchy texture to every bite. The only thing I would do differently the next time I make this is double those onions so they are not only on top, but everywhere inside the casserole as well.

I obviously have a new obsession with shredding my Brussels sprouts — they were in last week’s #SundaySupper recipe too! It’s a fun way to introduce them to someone who may not like this particular veggie, and a different way to prepare them. I’m also looking for unique ways to eat my veggies, otherwise I’d get bored. Since it’s a new year and everyone is thinking about eating healthier, Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole is a great choice.

shredded brussels sprouts casserole #sundaysupper

5.0 from 2 reviews
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole
 
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Shredded Brussels Sprouts Casserole is a healthier and tastier approach to the classic Green Bean Casserole dish — no canned cream of mushroom soup or store-bought fried onions here!
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Ingredients
  • For the crispy onion topping:
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup ap wheat flour
  • 2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
  • pinch of salt
  • Olive Oil cooking spray
  • For the casserole:
  • 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, rinsed, trimmed and halved
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp ap flour
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. Toss onions, flour, panko and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
  3. Evenly spread the onions on the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil spray.
  4. Bake for about 45 minutes, tossing 2-3 times, or until golden brown.
  5. When done, set aside and lower oven to 400 degrees.
  6. Fill a 8-quart saucepan with water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer the sprouts into a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
  7. Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat.
  8. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
  9. Add garlic and nutmeg and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in the flour. Add wine and let simmer for 1 minute.
  10. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  11. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine.
  12. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute.
  13. Lower to medium-low and add the milk, stirring until the mixture thickens.
  14. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and mix well.
  15. Pour mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
  16. Add the onions on top for the final 5 minutes or until bubbly.

 

Don’t leave without checking out the rest of the #SundaySupper recipes for casseroles. We’ve got breakfast, main dishes and even dessert!  

 Captivating Breakfast Casseroles

Appetizing Casserole Sides

Main Event Casseroles

Decadent Dessert and Sweet Casseroles

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement

Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole & Giveaway #GetYourBettyOn

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All your favorite flavors from childhood mix together to make this Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole. With new Betty Crocker™ Potatoes, your family will have a new favorite potato side dish perfect for the holidays.

cheesy broccoli and potato casserole #getyourbettyon

I see so many people running around like crazy people trying to get everything together for the holidays. All I hear is, “There’s still so much left to do!” This is a stressful time of year, people! The last thing you want to worry about is getting dinner on the table. And with new Betty Crocker™ Potatoes, you don’t have to! Betty is here to save the day with new casserole side dishes that are super easy to make and even easier to use as the base of your own holiday potato recipe. There are so many flavors to choose from and each one brings a little something special to the table — but when you add in your own mix-ins, things get even better! 

As someone who loves to cook, sometimes I get in a little over my head with the dishes I choose to make for holiday get-togethers. I always want to make something creative, festive and tasty, and it has to look good too! I usually make something new so I can share on the blog, of course. Since it’s usually a new recipe, there’s always the chance that whatever I make is a total and complete disaster, like the time I made coffeecake for a brunch and when I cut into it, the entire center was undercooked. It had been sitting out for so long, that putting it back in the oven did not help. I had to toss the cake, and take a few moments to cry in the corner.  Betty Crocker™ Potatoes helps me put something presentable and flavorful on the table without causing any stress. The only thing you may stress over is whether or not to have seconds and thirds! 

cheesy broccoli and potato casserole #getyourbettyon

Betty Crocker™ Potatoes take no longer than a half hour to cook — the perfect shortcut to getting a delicious and hearty homemade dish on the dinner table for your family or ready to bring to one of the many holiday parties I know you have planned the rest of this month. I know what you’re thinking… You’re encouraging me to eat potatoes from…a box?!?! Yes, yes I am. Because a) these are 100% REAL potatoes — there’s nothing fake about these taters, and b) cut me some slack — I can’t be Suzy Homemaker every single day, now can I?! 

The only difference between these Betty Crocker™ potatoes mixes and the potatoes you get from the produce section of your grocery store is the cook time! What’s even better about Betty Crocker™ Potatoes is that each box comes with a little packet of flavor! Now it’s just up to you to decide whether you want to stick to what’s in the box, or get a little wild and crazy with your mix-ins. I chose the latter. 

cheesy broccoli and potato casserole #getyourbettyon

It took me a while to even decide which of these yummy potatoes I wanted to experiment with. Roasted Garlic….Parmesan and Asiago…Cheesy Hashbrown… I finally ended up with the Three Cheese mix of cheddar, parmesan, and romano cheeses. Cheese and potatoes?! Uh, yes please! I wanted to make sure I incorporated a vegetable into this cheesy, carb-loaded dish. Broccoli was the first thing to come to mind. Who doesn’t love broccoli and cheese together?! This combination was a childhood favorite of mine and I haven’t had it in years. There’s no time like the holidays to reminisce and reinvent the things you loved as a kid. Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole is definitely going to become a one of my go-to potato side-dish recipes. 

cheesy broccoli and potato casserole #getyourbettyon

Visit Betty Crocker™ to learn more about these yummy new potatoes and download a coupon for $0.50 off 2 boxes of Betty Crocker™ Potatoes

Want to win some cash so you can go out and buy the ingredients to make Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole too?! Or, of course you could come up with your own incredible dish… Just leave a comment below answering these two questions:

1. Where will you buy Betty Crocker™ Potatoes? 

2. What will you make?

The winner will receive a $15 gift gift card so you can try Betty Crocker™ Potatoes too! This Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole might just become your new favorite holiday potato recipe. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will close on Monday, December 29th, 2014.   

This giveaway is currently closed. Congratulations to the winner: Comment #5 Amy L!

cheesy broccoli and potato casserole #getyourbettyon

5.0 from 1 reviews
Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole & Giveaway #GetYourBettyOn
 
Print
All your favorite flavors from childhood mix together to make this Cheesy Broccoli and Potato Casserole. With new Betty Crocker™ Potatoes, your family will have a new favorite potato side dish perfect for the holidays.
Author:
Cuisine: Side Dish
Ingredients
  • 1 box Three Cheese Betty Crocker™ Potatoes
  • 1 tbsp light butter
  • ½ cup 1% milk
  • 8 oz. broccoli florets
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Heat milk and butter on the stovetop on medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer.
  3. Add in the package of cheese from your box of Betty Crocker™ Potatoes and mix well.
  4. Stir in the package of potatoes and add your broccoli broccoli.
  5. Add garlic.
  6. Pour mixture into an oven-proof dish and sprinkle with paprika.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are browned.

 

Disclaimer: The information, products and Betty Crocker™ Potato gift cards were provided by Betty Crocker™ through Linqia. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole from Cindy’s Recipes & Writings

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Cindy is here today to share her Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole. She knows me too well — this recipe is exactly the kind of meal I want to eat during this time of year! I met Cindy at the Food and Wine Conference this past summer and she is just as cool in person as she is on her blog! 

 

Sweet Potato and Quinoa Casserole

I’m so excited to be sharing my Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole today with you at Take a Bite Out of Boca ! Shaina has such great tips and tasty recipes. We belong to some of the same foodie groups online and even met in real life this past summer at the Food and Wine Conference in Florida!

This casserole is packed with nutrient dense sweet potatoes and quinoa with a few toasted pecans thrown in to add a bit of crunch. This casserole is perfect to welcome in fall. So colorful and festive!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole

Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • vegetable cooking spray
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 2 Tablespoons granulated or regular brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Spray sweet potato pieces with cooking spray to coat and roast at 350 in a 8×8-inch casserole dish until tender.
  • While sweets cook, bring 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth to a boil.
  • Add rinsed quinoa, reduce heat and simmer until cooked, about 15 minutes.
  • Add remaining 1/4 cup broth, cooked quinoa, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, salt and pepper to the sweets.
  • Stir to combine and return to the oven and roast until thoroughly heated.

Pumpkin Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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Fall is pumpkin season. Duh — everyone knows this. As I wrote in my previous post on my favorite things about fall, pumpkin was number one. It’s halfway through October and I’ve already made three pumpkin-flavored dishes, sipped on countless pumpkin spiced lattes from Starbucks, and found sugar-free pumpkin spice creamer to bring to work for when we make coffee (read: every single morning). I’ve even made a “Fall Flavors” board on Pinterest for all the recipes that come out during this time of year. Speaking of Pinterest, is everyone else as obsessed as I am? Whoever came up with this site is pure genius. 
Anyway…
As soon as I saw those cans of Libby’s Pumpkin hit the shelves at the grocery store, I grabbed a bunch to stock up. I made the cutest (and healthiest) little pumpkin muffins from Dashing Dish, low fat pumpkin bread from Skinnytaste, and even created my own recipe for a spaghetti squash pumpkin casserole. 
The muffins were really good, packed with protein and very low in fat. Katie is one of my favorite bloggers for healthy recipes. She always has such creative ideas and every one of her recipes I’ve tried always comes out awesome. Gina, from Skinnytaste, is another one of my favorite bloggers. I know I’ve talked about both of these women before, always raving about their recipes. The pumpkin bread was another hit. I did have to sub in some applesauce for 1/4 of the amount of pumpkin puree the recipe calls for. I always forget to make sure I have enough of all of the ingredients before I started to bake. That’s something I should probably start making a habit of…

Now I have these ladies to thank for the delicious breakfasts I’ve made, but I have to praise myself for this casserole dish! I’ve been seeing a lot of pasta dishes using pumpkin that all look and sound amazing, but I wanted to do something a little different. So what is the most obvious (and delicious) alternative to pasta??? Spaghetti squash! I’ve made some great spaghetti squash dishes in the past — it’s one of my favorite food discoveries from the past year — but this one is pretty unique and perfect for the fall season.
Pumpkin Spaghetti Squash
1 medium or large spaghetti squash
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. Once the squash is baked, scoop out all of the spaghetti-like pieces and put into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the pumpkin, milk, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour into the larger bowl and mix well with the squash. Place into a casserole dish and sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake for 35 minutes. At the end, change the oven setting to a lo broil for 5 minutes or until the top of the casserole is browned.


Grilled Chicken & Squash/Zucchini Casserole

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I am still pretty new at this whole cooking thing, so every now and then things don’t go as planned. I recently cooked a dinner of grilled chicken and a squash and zucchini casserole. The casserole came out great, but the chicken was a little overcooked. I have a fear of not cooking chicken well enough, so I overcompensate, and leave it on the grill too long. This is something I will continue to work on and eventually (hopefully) perfect. The chicken was saved by the pesto sauce in the casserole, so it still ended up being a very good dinner.


I seasoned the chicken breast with an Italian seasoning mix before putting it on the grill pan to cook. I also poured a little bit of lemon juice over top the chicken, as well. The casserole recipe was given to me by my friend, Ava. It’s a delicious mix of yellow squash, zucchini, and sun-dried tomato pesto topped with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. I used her recipe as a guide, changing things here and there. I added mushrooms to the mix for added taste and the result was great. Not only did it taste good, but the colors mix beautifully together for a really pretty dish.

For my version of this squash & zucchini casserole you will need:

1 large zucchini
1 large yellow squash
~1 cup baby bella mushrooms
sun-dried tomatoes
olive oil
parmesan cheese
breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice your squash and zucchini into thin wheels and place in a bowl, along with the mushrooms, off to the side. To make the pesto, put about a handful of sun-dried tomatoes into a food processor, along with a tbsp of parmesan cheese and olive oil. I started out with a few tablespoons of olive oil and continued to add in more until the pesto reached the consistency I liked. Add the pesto to the bowl of squash, zucchini and mushrooms and mix well. After you’ve covered all the vegetables with the pesto, pour it into a shallow baking dish and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Take it out and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and place back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

This is a really tasty dish that was easy to prepare. The pesto could be used for a variety of other foods such as chicken, meat, pasta, etc…


The best part about the casserole dish is that it’s light and healthy. An Italian-inspired dish like this one has potential to be loaded with cheese, making it pretty heavy. I opted to only use a small amount of parmesan in the pesto, and a sprinkling on top of the veggies and left out the other cheeses mentioned in the original recipe. Despite the chicken being a little on the tough side, it was still good with the pesto from the casserole poured over top. The pesto worked to tenderize the chicken and give it more flavor. Dinner was paired with my absolute favorite wine, Riesling. I love a good, sweet white wine, as I have mentioned before, and Riesling never fails to give me just that. 



Comfort Food: Tuna Casserole

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What’s that one meal that brings you back to your childhood? For me, it’s tuna casserole. When I was little, my absolute favorite dinner was my best friend Jordan’s mom’s tuna casserole. I made sure I was at Jordan’s house every time her mom made it because I loved it so much. With the crushed potato chips on top, it was the perfect amount of saltiness. Although it isn’t something I would eat now as regularly as I liked to back then, sometimes I crave comfort food. So I searched for a “skinny” version and, not surprisingly, I found one on Skinnytaste.

This dish includes noodles, tuna, mushrooms and peas, but you could use any vegetables you may like. I added in broccoli. You can refer to the link above for the full recipe, which I closely followed, with only one change. I didn’t have cheddar cheese on hand and certainly didn’t feel the need to go to Publix for one item. So I used part-skim mozzarella instead. I like mozzarella more than cheddar anyway, especially with the other ingredients in the casserole. It was really good, light and creamy with a good amount of crisp on top from the breadcrumbs. Although my old favorite was topped with potato chips, I wanted to stick to the “skinny” theme of the dish so I used the whole wheat bread crumbs like the recipe suggests. The combination of mushrooms, peas, and broccoli complemented the tuna nicely. Since it is a one-pot dish, I didn’t serve any sides with it. I’m one of those people who feels like dinner is incomplete without a side dish, so it was a little strange for me not to have a second dish on the table. But everything you need for a good meal was in this one dish. You’ve got your protein from the tuna and cheese, carbs from the pasta, and a good variety of vegetables. Casseroles are a great dish to bring to potluck style dinners. If you aren’t a fan of tuna, use a different protein such as chicken or turkey.

I consider the nights I cook dinner to be somewhat of a special occasion, so I always make sure Bubby and I have a good glass of wine to pair with our meal.  Menage a Trois makes a delicious red blend of Merlot, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, so when I found their white blend I had to try it. It’s a blend of Chardonnay, Moscato (one of my favorites) and Chenin Blanc. It was delicious! Moscato is a super sweet wine, Chardonnay is a little bit drier and I’ve never had Chenin Blanc alone so I’m not sure what it tastes like, but the three flavors together make a great wine to go with our feel-good dinner.

On the 8th Day of Hanukkah

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For the last day of Hanukkah, I wanted to show off some of the holiday fare my family and friends were generous enough to share with me. 

My mom put together a delicious spread to celebrate the end of the holiday. A combination of fruit, potato latkes and her take on a Western-style Omelette completed the meal. There were still plenty of latkes left over, so she paired them with some strawberries and grapes. Next she made an omelet with onions, red and green peppers, and tomatoes, topped with melted swiss cheese. Also on the table were my dad’s Hazelnut Nutella Thumbprint cookies he made from a recipe found in The Atlantic City Press and some peppermint bark that was a gift from a friend. Add coffee, OJ, toast and bacon to the mix and her End-of-Hanukkah breakfast was complete.

My friend Leanne is also a devoted Skinnytaste and Dashing Dish follower. When she asked me what to make as an appetizer for her family’s Christmas dinner, we immediately turned to these sites for ideas. She finally decided on Dashing Dish’s Greek Chicken Pockets. These look absolutely delicious and there are so many different combinations you could use for the filling. She lists a Chicken Enchilada Pocket on the site, as well. The dough is simply reduced-fat Pillsbury Crescent dough. Preparing the filling is the fun part.  Small chunks of chicken breast, red pepper hummus, garlic, salt, pepper, red onion, black olives, red pepper, grape tomatoes and fat-free feta cheese make up this delicious Greek-inspired dish. The key to making the perfect pocket, however, is knowing just how much of this filling to stuff inside each crescent roll. The filling needs to be fully enclosed inside the dough so it doesn’t spill while baking. Be careful not to overstuff or they may not survive the oven!


If you remember back from my Creative Thanksgiving Treats post, my friend Kelly made an adorable turkey treat out of Oreos and Candy Corn for her students. Well, she has done it again, only this time the snack is Christmas-themed. She made reindeer out of pretzels and Nutter Butter cookies. Salty and sweet…what better combination. All you need are Nutter Butters, pretzels, M&Ms and icing. Put icing on the cookie where the eyes and nose will go and stick on the M&Ms. Break off the bottom of one of the pretzels and attach it to the top of the Nutter Butter to look like antlers. Kelly’s students really must love her for all her fun ideas for arts and crafts; the best part about them is they’re edible! 

Another friend of mine, Ava, shared her recipe for a zucchini and squash casserole with a sun-dried tomato pesto. She was in charge of just about all the cooking for her family’s Christmas dinner, so I really appreciate her taking the time to snap some photos.

For the casserole you’ll need:
2-3 each zucchini and yellow squash
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or your preferred Italian cheese)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto

For the pesto, add about a handful of sun dried tomatoes and olive oil into a blender or food processor. As far as the amount of ingredients used here, you’ll need to play around with it as you go until you get your desired consistency. After blending, pour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt, pepper and about a tbsp of oregano and mix well.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and begin preparing your zucchini and squash. You may peel them if you wish, or leave the skin on. Chop them into thin wheel slices. In a large bowl, mix together the pesto, olive oil and parsley in a large bowl. Add the chopped vegetables to the bowl and stir until they are well coated in the mixture. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and put in the oven for 20 minutes. Using the same bowl you combined the zucchini, squash and pesto, add the bread crumbs and mix with the remnants of mixture left in the bowl. Remove the dish from the oven when it’s done and top with the breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake for another 20 minutes, and then let the dish settle for 10 minutes before serving. 
This is a recipe I will definitely be trying soon. The pesto is a versatile addition to the casserole as it could also be used as a sauce served over pasta, chicken, or another vegetable dish. 

Thank you to my mom Fran, Leanne, Kelly, and Ava for sharing a little bit of their Christmas and Hanukkah spirit with me. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and was able to spend time with family and friends. Enjoy your last week of 2011!
Sunday Supper Movement