A rainy summer day calls for a bit of a comforting food. Not too comforting to heat up the kitchen too much. Just a bit of a lush pan dish.
I had some gnocchi (pronounced: naakee) and was figuring what to pair it with. I decided to "flex" my dish. What? I'm a flexitarian, so one is flexible enough (about 10%) to decide to add a "meat"- fish meat- to my dish.
This is not a homemade gnocchi recipe, so you can relax. :-)
If you choose to buy cooked shrimp and premade gnocchi, this dish can whip up real quick!
Amazingly enough, I did not go off the norm with the ingredients. Next time!........

Ingredients:

• shrimp - I chose the frozen cooked ones (this time!) - as many as you want!
• gnocchi - I got the regular size ones (though, I think I prefer the smaller ones) (homemade in on my cooking bucket list.)
• EVOO - some for mixing with lemon juice and garlic to keep shrimp warm and basting
• lemon- to add in EVOO mix and to add to dish towards end
• oil/butter spread - 1-2 tbps
• garlic- 1-2 cloves or 1-2 tbsp powder
• flour - 2 tbsp
• whipping cream - 1/4-1/2 cup
• parmesean - 1/2 cup (add more to taste and topping)
• black pepper - 2 tsp
• thyme - 2 tsp
• basil - 2 tbsp

In a large pan, baste (or warm) shrimp in EVOO, garlic & lemon juice for a few minutes- while you cook the gnocchi (according to directions). As you drain gnocchi in strainer, rinse in cool water to keep from sticking from starch & add EVOO. Let sit while you make the cream sauce in a smaller pan. Melt butter under med-low heat. Add garlic-n-stir. Add flour and stir faster. Add cream and stir slower. Add parmesean & continue to stir. Add spices while stirring. Hopefully you have a nice sauce. If not smooth, maybe add more cream! Taste and add more seasoning, if needed. Add shrimp then gnocchi and mix. Squeeze lemon and mix.
If you are pleased, serve & enjoy!
Buon Appetito!

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Who doesn't love a good cheeseburger- especially in the summertime! (off the grill)
Ever had a the major things that go into a cheeseburger- as a casserole?\No? Try it?
There are version of cheeseburger casserole out there, but they seem more like hamburger helper type recipes. This is a bit different. Well, of course it is! It is a recipe coming from me! 

INGREDIENTS:

• rye bread - 3 pieces broken to fit round pan
• eggs - 2
• avocado mayo - 1/2-1 cup for egg mixture & 1/2 cup for layer
• mustard - 1/2 cup for egg mixture & 1/2 cup for layer   (I used yellow)
• Spices: pepper, garlic, onion powder, thyme, mustard powder - 1/2 to 1 tbsp (all-depending) - used with egg mixture
• loosely chopped ( or mashed) cooked meatless meatballs    (or meat)
• sauteed onions - 1-1 1/2 onion (I used both red & yellow)
• shredded cheddar - 1 bag  (used in the layer and topping)
• lettuce - 1 cup
• tomatoes - chopped (I used roma)
• ketchup - 1/2  cup for layer
• breadcrumbs - 3/4 cup 
• EVOO - for sauteing onions, cooking the meatless balls, and to lightly sprinkle on top of crumbs
• sesame seeds - sprinkle on top    (optional)
• parsley - sprinkle on top     (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Spray pan with non-stick. Spray bread and dash some spices on both sides- then place at bottom. Mix eggs, spices, avo-mayo, mustard and spread on top of bread (mash a bit with fork). Start your layers! I did mine like a burger! Meatless balls -> onions -> cheddar -> tomatoes -> lettuce -> mayo, mustard, ketchup -> breadcrumbs -> EVOO -> cheddar -> sesame seeds -> parsley.
Place in over (uncovered) and bake for 25-30 minutes. Take out of oven and let sit before serving. Like any types of layer baked dish- give it time! 
Serve and enjoy!

Afterthought: Maybe add a bit more avomayo, mustard, ketchup - to have a bit more distinctive taste of those 3 things.
FYI: If you want to have a light brown baked dish, bake at 425 for 30 minutes. If not, bake a 400 for 25 minutes.

I love making chilies! I love always trying different kinds of chili! 
So, being close to Christmas (ugh, only 5 more days), thought I'd make my chili with a holiday theme.
The main theme spice is cinnamon and the other theme is that the veggies in my chili are red and green ones. :-) But, I think you would have figured it out after noticing you are chopping veggies that are only green and red. ;-)
Heated cinnamon makes it spicy! So, if your palate is sensitive to spicy, then reduce the amount of cinnamon!

• 1-2 green peppers
• 3 roma tomatoes
• 1/2-1 red onion 
• 2 cans of green chilies
• 1 can of enchilada sauce
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 cup of peas
• 2 tbsp garlic oil
• 2-3 tbsp taco sauce
• 1 tsp coriander 
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 3 tsp parsley
• 1-2 tsp cilantro
• 1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2-3 qt slow cooker (SC)

Turn on SC to high (preheat). Big chop veggies and add to SC. Cover and let SC for 1/2ish. Add rest of ingredients and mix well. Cover and SC on high for 2-3 for small SC or 3-4 for large SC. Reduce to low for another 1ish. If you have warm, switch to warm. Or turn off. Stir during and at end. Serve with cheesed-crackers of maybe an soft boiled egg of egg-yoke. The cheese I chose were feta, gouda and montery jack on top of triskets (love triskets!!!)
Serve it your way & enjoy!!!
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For me, this is one of the yummiest dishes! I don't know if it is the internal need for more comfort food, but every bite was soft, moist and high in taste value! So, it is not just for comfort.....but for year around tastiness!
I don't really ever make the same thing twice, so the next time I make this I will tweek it a bit. But, no too much!
Blue cheese is an acquired taste. And it mix well with some things, but not with others. This dish, the blue cheese was mixed beautifully well with the other ingredients!

• 8-10 celery (sauteed)
• 1/4-1/2 cup of minced onions (Sauteed, if fresh.)
• 3-4 tomatoes (your choice)
• 3 tsp parsley
• 1-2 tsp pepper
• 2 garlic cloves (mine was baked) (or 1-2 tsp of minced or dry minced, or ground)
• hot sauce - I used Franks
• 1 pkg of blue cheese
• 1/4-1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
• garlic oil (or olive oil) - some for saute, some to put into mix, little to drizzle on top
• 1-1.5 cup cooked long grain rice (cooked in vegetable bouillon!!)
• cooking spray

Topping

• cracker crumbled ( I used about 8-10)
• garlic oil drizzle
• hot sauce drizzle
• blue cheese dressing drizzle

Add each ingredient one by one in a bowl- mix after each ingredient.  Spray dish pan and add mix. Cover and bake at 450 for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Take out and add toppings. Bake for the last 10ish miniutes. Let sit for a bit. Then, serve it up!!

Option!....... Just bake the mix without rice and use as a dip- or add on top of rice later.

I was in the mood for something with a BBQ flavor. Since I am a flexitarian, BBQ ribs or chicken or wings are not really what I had in mind. I have made BBQ cauliflower bites and a couple others. I have made BBQ potato chips, but not a potato casserole. Once the idea came to mind, dove right into making it! Couldn't wait the results!

• small red potatoes 4 (or 2 or 3 regular size) chopped
• klondike potatoes- 3-4 - chopped
• onion - 1/2 - diced
• celery - 3 stalks - diced
• egg - 1 ( I happened to use and egg from a friends chicken farm!)
• BBQ sauce - 1/2 ( or more)
• sour cream - 2 tbsp
• cheddar - 1/2 cup in mix and some for topping
• parsley - 2 tbsp
• garlic - 1 tbsp powder or 2-3 gloves
• pepper - 2 tsp
• 2 tbsp - sunflower oil
• cooking spray

Add the ingredients and mix it up well. Spray casserole pan and add mix. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 450. Turn up to 475ish for another 10 minutes. Only if you would like a bit of browning. Otherwise, bake for 50 minutes at 450. Take out and either top with BBQ only, or cheese only or both or no topping. Whatever you want! Turn of oven and bake for several minutes. Cool for several minutes and serve it up!


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Note: Klondike potatoes take longer to cook, so check them and bake longer if needed! :-)
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So, I'm a pizza freak....or pizza chick.....or pizza lover. And I will figure out ways to make something different into a pizza. Like I have made the pita pizzas...so yum. I have made a cauliflower pizza, but haven't posted one....YET.
If you get a standard pizza from a place, the pizza dough and ingredients have that extra fat, salt, etc. for you to really like their type of pizza. I try to stay away from s.s.s.s.salt as much as I can. :-)
So, you get all the goodness of a pizza, without all that extra calories from fat and salt. Are you okay with that? lol. If so, let's make a frittata pizza!

Ingredients:
For frittata:

• 4 eggs (beat or whipped)
• 1-2 tsp cream (or melted greek yogurt)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1-2 garlic clove ( or 1 tsp powder or minced garlic)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil

For Sauce:

• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 3 tsp tomato sauce
• 1 tsp garlic oil (or olive oil)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For Layers:

• 1/4 onion (sauteed)
• 3 handfuls of mozzarella (for each layer)
• 1 jar pimentos
• cherry tomatoes (thinly sliced- enough to cover a top layer)

Preheat oven to 450. Mix first 6 ingredients and add to round baking pan. Bake covered for half for 15 and uncovered for 15ish (until mostly baked). Take out, flip onto foiled-lined baking sheet & flatten. Mix sauce together and add as 1st layer. Then add onions (or not, if you don't like onions). Add handful of sprinkle mozz. & then pimentos, then next handful of cheese, then tomatoes, then top layer of cheese. Feel free to sprinkle some more oregano. Bake for another 20-25min. If you like a little crispiness, put on broil for the last 5 minutes.
Let set for a bit, then......serve it up!
Enjoy! 
Leave some yummy, or not so yummy comments! :-)
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So, I originally was going to make this a cajun shrimp & scallop pasta. But, opted out for carbs today.
I know, it looks more like a jumbaly, stewy dish. Which it can be an infused-type of one. It can be whatever you choose it to be! I left it open! :-)

Ingredients:

• frozen shrimp - 1/2-1 bag (thawed: either overnight in fridge or under cold water for few minutes)
• frozen scallops - 1/2-1 bag (thawed)
• onion - 1 (any kind) chopped
• pimentos - 2 jars
• tomatoes - any kind (I used 3 -4 roma)
• minced garlic - 1 tsp for saute onions
• minced garlic - for mixture
• tomato paste - 1-2 tsp
• ricotta - 2-3 tbsp
• pepper - 1 tsp
• cajun - 1 tsp (or more if you like it spicy!)
• honey - 2 tsp 
• thyme - 2 tsp
• chives - 2 tbsp

In med-low heat, add onions and garlic- saute for several minutes. Then add pimentos & tomatoes. Saute/ cook shrimp & scallops (I did separately) for 5ish  min. on med-low heat. Add to dish. Add the rest of items, one-by-one while mixing. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Taste test. If you like, you serve it up!

What a day! Was feeling the fall hazy day today. :-(  Needed some comfort.....food. So, while watching the Brownies, decided to make a lasagna! Then, off to teach a yoga class. (Well needed on this blundering hazy, cloudy day.)
I haven't had lasagna in a while! It has been since winter. So, I was over-due!
And, it is the season for more comfort casserole foods!
Of course, my version is has not been made by me before, because I never make the same thing twice! :-)

Ingredients:

• lasagna - 12  (I used wheat)
• tomato sauce - 2 cups
• oregano - 4 tsp (split on each mix)
• basil - 2 tsp (split on each mix)
• parsley - 2 tsp (split.....)
• thyme - 1 tsp (split.....)
• margaram - 1 tsp (split.......)
• garlic cloves - 2 or 2 tsp of powder (split......)
• pepper - 1 tsp (split.....)
• feta - 1 cup or package
• eggs - 2 (beat)
• mozzarella - 1-2 bags
• parmesan - 2 tbsp
• rocotta - 3 tbsp
• provolone - 1 package

Cook lasagna to instructions. Spray with non-stick spray to they will not stick when set aside. Ingredients from tomato sauce to feta cheese, mix into one bowl. Ingredients from eggs to provolone, mix in another bowl. Spray casserole dish and pour some sauce to bottom. Add a layer (4) of noodles. Spoon some of sauce mix, spread. Spoon cheese mix and spread. Add another layer of noodles. Repeat. Add last layer of noodles and add some sauce, then mozzarella, then sprinkle parmesan, then sprinkle herbs. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes (covered). Let sit covered for 25-30 minutes. Serve it up! Cheesy, yummy goodness! ;-0

Happy National Taco Day!
In honor, I taco'd it up with a grande shrimp taco and taco soup!  :-0
The thing about this taco is that it is so large, that if not held and eaten right can turn into a mess and then you might end up eating the rest like a taco salad. You could also grab a for or spoon and eat it like a taco salad for a bit, then take some mighty bites! 

Ingredients:

• frozen shrimp -8 (thawed & cooked with avocado oil)
• tortilla
• frozen corn (thawed)
• salsa - 2 tbsp
• green chiles - 1 tbsp
• pinto beans - 1 tbsp
• cheddar- as much as you want
• sour cream - as much as you want
• lime juice - a dash
• avocado oil - some for cooking shrimp & green pepper
• garlic clove (or powder)- a small cloves or a couple dashes

Spread oil on tortilla, use prop to have an open fold and bake for 10 min at 450- let sit. Cook and saute shrimp, let cook and finish devine. Start layering your taco with ingredients of your choice. I started with spinach, then salsa & garlic, then beans, then corn, tomatoes, shrimp, green chilies, cheddar, sour cream, juice. Sprinkle with cilantro. Then.....eat the yummy big thing up! ;-0
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Taco soup ingredients:

• garlic cloves - 1 or 2
• tomatoes - as much as you want
• green chilies - 2 cans
• 1 green bell pepper - sauteed
• red onion - sauteed
• salsa - 1/4 cup
• 1 cup of water
• taco sauce - 1-2 tsp
• cilantro - 1 tsp or more
• oregano - 1-2 tsp
• 1 tsp chili powder (not too much to make it taste like chili)
• 1 tsp cumin
• bay leaf
• thyme - dash
• coriander - 1/2 tsp

Add ingredients to slow cooker. Set on low for a few hours, or high for a couple. Stir, taste test....enjoy!

Feel like a bit of some Asian takeout? BUT, don't want to digest all that extra fat, sugar, salt and starch?
Maybe make a little stir fry of your own!

Ingredients:

• bag - thawed scallops (patted dry)
• 15-20 - precooked shrimp (save on time) (chopped big)
• 6-8  - scallions (from the market?) (chopped big)
• 10-12 - fresh button mushrooms (chopped big)
• garlic cloves - 2
• 1 or 2 belle pepper - (chopped big)
• 12 - baby carrots cooked and chopped long and thin
• 2 tsp - black pepper
• 2 tbsp - soy sauce
• 2 tbsp - oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp - fish sauce
• 1 tbsp - sesame oil
• dash of ginger
• 1 tbsp - sunflower oil (SO)

With SO and 1 garlic, saute scallops for a 5-10 min on med-low heat. Set a-side. A little more SO on med-heat and add bell pepper for several minutes, then add mushrooms and scallions for another several minutes. Then add cooked carrots, shrimp and scallops and other garlic and cook on med-low for a few minutes. Then add pepper, soy, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and ginger, then cover and cook on low for about 10ish minutes. Uncover and stir-it-up! Taste test and add a bit if you'd like! The, serve it up!!
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