Lo Mein

We have made so many variations of this recipe, but one thing has always remained the same. The sauce! It is creamy from the peanut butter, tangy from the toasted sesame dressing, and salty from the soy sauce! Holy perfectness!

I only had red peppers on hand the night that I made this, but really you could add any combination of veggies. Just chop, dice, and throw it in the skillet. The next time I make this I want to try shredded carrots, snap peas, and edamame. A true asian dish.

Zach’s dish: which of course included chicken. Don’t want to deprive him of his meat.

My dish: topped with slivered almonds. A nice little crunch!

Chicken or Veggie Lo Mein

1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked

1/4 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 peppers, sliced

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the dressing, broth, and peanut butter over medium heat. Add garlic and peppers. Cook for about five minutes or until desired softness is reached. Add cooked spaghetti. Stir in soy sauce. Mix until evenly combined. Spoon onto platter or plates and top with chopped cilantro.

Source: Kraft Foods

Vegetable Pot Pie

It was a meatless Monday! Little does Zach know that this might become a tradition! A vegetarian friend of mine recently told me about a vegetarian cookbook, College Vegetarian Cooking. All of the recipes are super easy and have a very short ingredient list! Over half of the recipes from the cookbook are now on my “dying to make” list! And hence the need to devote a day of the week to vegetarian meals!

Loved the crispy buttery shell!

A very hearty meal! With all the potatoes and veggies Zach didn’t even miss the meat!

Vegetable Pot Pie

3 potatoes

2 carrots

1 small onion

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Peel the carrots and cut into 1/4 inch cubes. Peel the onion and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the ends off the mushroom stems, discard, and cut the mushrooms in half. Place the water, bouillon cube, potatoes, carrots, onion, and mushrooms in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the peas to the pan.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, milk, and poultry seasoning and stir until smooth. Slowly add the milk mixture to the pan, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Pour the mixture into a 1 quart casserole dish and top with the sheet of puff pastry. Press the pastry down firmly around the outside edge of the dish and cut four small slits in the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal nearly every day. If I have the day off from work, I eat it for breakfast. If I am working that day, then I eat it for lunch or supper. It is just so, so easy to grab a packet and throw it in the microwave. My go to flavor is usually maple brown sugar. About the only flavor that actually tastes as good as it smells!

With all of my blog searching or some may call it stalking, I have seen several posts and recipes for baked oatmeal. All of them with different flavor combinations. And of course for my first attempt at baked oatmeal I chose the one with peanut butter! But I am now dying to try the pumpkin pie baked oatmeal.

This truly looked, smelt, and tasted like a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. It was fluffy around the outside and gooey in the middle! Definitely have a glass of milk handy when you eat this. Trust me, you will need it. The site where I found this recipe also recommends serving with warmed milk poured over the top. You could also top with sliced bananas, chocolate chips, maple syrup, or yogurt. Once again the possibilities are endless! Love versatile dishes!

One giant peanut butter oatmeal cookie!!

The oh so gooey middle!! Holy yum!

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 8×8 inch pan or 1 quart casserole. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until outer edges are golden brown.