Quinoa with Roasted Tomatoes

This is quick and easy meal or side dish.

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
handfull of fresh thyme, stems removed
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1 C quinoa, uncooked

Combine first 4 ingredients in a 9 x 13 baking pan.  Roast at 425 until tomatoes start to burn, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.  Combined cooked quinoa with roasted tomatoes and serve.

Chipotle Turkey Sliders

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 C fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
12 dinner rolls
1/3 C red onion, thinly sliced

Mix together turkey, bread crumbs and eggs.  Shape into 12 patties. Grill patties.  Place each patty on a bun and top with Chipotle Mayonnaise (see recipe below).  Top with a couple slices of red onion.

Chipotle Mayonnaise
1 T chipotle salsa (I like San Marcos brand, found in the Mexican section of the store)
1/3 C mayonnaise

Mix together salsa and mayonnaise until smooth.

Pumpkin Spice Bread

I like to make this bread in small loaf pans instead of normal sized pans.  I feel like it cooks more evenly without drying out the outsides of the loaves.

3 C all-purpose flour
2 C sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground allspice
2/3 C canola oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 C golden raisins
1/4 C chopped pecans
2 T brown sugar
Cooking spray

Combine flour and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine canola oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in raisins.

Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Mix together pecans and brown sugar and top each loaf with some of the mixture.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour (45 minutes for small loaf pans) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pans. Cool loaves completely.

Easy Lasagne

My family does not like Ricotta cheese, so I substitute fresh mozzarella.  If you buy the Italian sausage as links, you need about 1 link.  Use just enough sausage to add some flavor.

1/4 lb Italian sausage
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella
1 bunch parsley, snipped (about 4 T)
9 oz box no boil lasagne (DO NOT boil)
8 oz grated mozzarella
48 oz marinara sauce (2 jars)

Crumble, brown and drain sausage.  Smash fresh mozzarella with a fork.  Mix with electric beaters until smooth, adding 1 - 2 Tablespoons of water to get desired consistency.  It should be smooth and spreadable.  Add the parsley and mix well.  Spread the fresh mozzarella mixture evenly over 8 sheets of lasagne.

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Layer the ingredients:

1.   1/2 jar sauce
2.   4 sheets lasagne (with mozzarella mixture)
3.   1/2 of the sausage
4.   1 C grated mozzarella
5.   1/2 jar sauce
6.   4 sheets lasagne
7.   1 C grated mozzarella
8.   4 sheets lasagne (with mozzarella mixture)
9.   remaining sausage
10.   1/2 jar sauce
11.   4 sheets lasagne
12.   remaining 1/2 jar sauce
13.   remaining grated mozzarella

Cover with foil and bake 50-60 minutes.  Uncover an continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.  Let stand 20 minutes before serving.