Penne with Grilled Summer Squash and Sweet Corn.

I saw this beaut in my Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine... and the picture sold me. I seriously laid it on my nightstand and would just look at it before I went to bed. Did I really just disclose that!? Anyhow... then when I remembered the cashew ricotta recipe I saw on Crysta's blog - I had to make it. 

SO good!! The flavors worked so good together... and with the creaminess of the ricotta - I just felt naughty.

1 lb. penne pasta
4 yellow summer squash (about 1 1/2 lbs.) halved crosswise and each half cut lengthwise into 2 thick slabs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn) or frozen
15 oz. cashew ricotta (almost 2 cups)
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons thyme

Preheat a grill to medium-high.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, brush the squash pieces with olive oil and season with salt. Grill, turning once, until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop. 

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, corn and olive oil. Add the squash, ricotta, garlic and thyme' toss well. 

Add the pasta and stir in about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add more cooking water as desired.

***I roasted my squash and corn because I didn't want to go out in the 100*+ weather. I lightly sprayed  them with olive oil and sprinkled the thyme on them and roasted at 450* for about 15 minutes.

Sidenote: Just now finding the link on the magazine's website to give credit where credit is due, I read the comments. Most were not in favor of this recipe... but I think with the cashew ricotta it adds SO much more flavor then just regular.

Garden Bounty Tortilla Soup.

I got this recipe from Jami, who got it from her Peacocks on My Porch cookbook (read this if you're interested in what the name means... a clue: I loved it being the wife of a cyclist and somewhat of a cyclist myself). And I just veganized it. I love all the vegetables in here... but didn't quite understand why it was tortilla soup (maybe I copied it down wrong). Either way, next time I'm going to do the crisping and pureeing of the corn tortillas like I did in Brooke's soup next time (and probably take out the potatoes). I just love that flavor in the back of it. It's got a pretty sweet kick to it too, which Shayne loved.

8 cups vegetable broth
1 red onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2-4 potatoes, peeled and dice
1 can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 cloves minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoon canned chipotle in adobo (sliced)
1 teaspoon jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced
1 can corn, drained
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
garnish: avocado, limes & toritlla strips

In a large stockpot over high heat, combine broth, onion, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, garlic, chipotle in adobo, jalapeno, oregano and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. 

Add the salt and white pepper, zucchini, squash, bell peppers and corn. Bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add cilantro, lime and orange juice. Stir well and remove from heat. Garnish with fried tortilla strips, diced avocados, and lime wedges if desired.

If you don't like things very spicy, go easy on the jalapeno’s and chipotle peppers. If you find this out after making it - just add more broth.

Spaghetti with Roasted Veggies & Garlic.

I love spaghetti... and I've been trying to concoct the perfect recipe for a while now. And I think I've got it. The trick is in the roasted garlic. Yum. It obviously doesn't have to be exact - especially if I came up with it.

1 red pepper, seeded & chunked
1 yellow pepper, seeded & chunked
1 orange pepper, seeded & chunked
1 green pepper, seeded & chunked
2 handfuls cremini mushrooms, chunked
1 squash, chunked
1 zucchini, chunked
1 bulb of garlic
1 - 14 oz. tomato sauce, no salt added
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon fennel seed
salt to taste
whole wheat thin spaghetti

Preheat oven to 375*. Cut the top off the bulb of garlic, spray with evoo cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. Wrap in foil and put in the oven, roast for 20-30 minutes.

Cut up the rest of the veggies and put on 1 or 2 baking sheets. Spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes.

Put water onto boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions.

Put the tomato sauce in a pot over warm heat. When the veggies are done roasting, add them along with the seasonings. Salt to taste - remember you salted the veggies before roasting them. Get all of the roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb and smash them into a paste on a cutting board with a fork. Add to the pot. Let the flavors combine for 10 or so minutes... then chow down.

I also do this in a crockpot. You've got to do the roasted garlic separately... otherwise just put it all in the crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve over whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles. Yum. It's even better the next day.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Curry Condiments

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and Curry Condiments

i've strayed from RR and did an Ina Garten! SO proud of myself!!

(corynn & i loved!, shayne 'ok', ava & nolan - no thanks!)

Cornbread from Bon appetit

not anything special, so I'm not even going to bother wit the link!