Pasta Primavera

This is one of my favorite summer meals.  It's light and filled with summer veggies. 
My sister, Rachelle gave me the recipe.

Pasta Primavera

8 oz of pasta of your choice

1 zucchini or yellow squash

1 pepper (red, orange, yellow or green)

3-4 roma tomatoes

4-5 T. of olive oil

salt & pepper

Italian seasoning

Parmesan cheese
*If you add a variety of squash/peppers, it helps with the flavor and color.  
Sometimes when I have them, I cut up half of each squash and a few different peppers.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Boil water for pasta. Wash and slice veggies. 
You can slice them in long strips or in chunks.  Pour olive oil onto a cookie sheet.

Place cut veggies onto the sheet.  Mix them into the olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Bake for 10 minutes, flipping vegetables halfway through.  Dice tomatoes.  Take a large bowl and dump cooked pasta and vegetables into.  Be sure all of the oil on the pan goes in - it helps add lots of yummy flavor.  Mix. 

Top it all of with fresh tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. 

*How I tweaked it:

We like meat so I cut 2 chicken breasts into strips and cook them in olive oil and Italian seasoning over medium heat. 

I mix the vegetables right into the cooked chicken and steam that for a few minutes.  Then I mix everything together in a large bowl, then top it off with tomatoes and cheese.

Hope you like it!

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1- I post new recipes every Monday and Wednesday.  

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a little variety

As much as I love food and cooking, sometimes I'm at a complete loss for what to prepare for dinner.  Ever had that feeling?  It usually happens on a day where I didn't shower until after lunch, gave my children anything they wanted to keep everyone happy, and then realized I had an hour until dinner.  On days like those, I usually make something like this:

I open my fridge/freezer, piece together 4-5 items and call it dinner.  And actually, it turns out to be one of my favorite meals of the week.  I have this obsession with variety.  I like having as much food on hand as possible.  What if my husband is craving cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting?  Or what if I want chicken tacos with all the flavorful toppings?  See...it's important I have all those ingredients on hand.

You should try it.  Don't stress about having a recipe followed, menu planned meal.  Make dinner in an hour with random food from your kitchen.  It's actually really fun...

Monday Night Surprise
Baked chicken breast smothered in barbeque sauce and onions (350 for an hour)
Yellow squash from a good friend sauteed in butter and salt
Grilled cheese quesadilla

Cut up strawberries (my kids favorite! We eat them with every meal)

Chopped romaine lettuce with mozarella and cheddar cheese, tossed in Ranch dressing.

De-FREAKING-licious