Veggie Pizza

This veggie pizza recipe is a family favorite. My Grandma Hutch used to make it as well as my Mom. I love the flavor combinations in this easy appetizer - a flaky crust with a creamy base topped with fresh chopped veggies. I made it for the first time myself in December when I got together with some of my best girlfriends. It makes a nice big batch and is perfect for any get together.

Veggie Pizza
Recipe from my Mom 
Printable Version
Ingredients
2 rolls of crescent rolls
1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dill (we didn't have this, boo)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Fresh chopped veggies of your choice to equal about 3/4 cup total (I use broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, black olives, red and green peppers) 
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese 

Directions

Pat crescent rolls flat into a jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile mix together the softened cream cheese, mayo and spices. 

Spread evenly onto cooled crust and sprinkle on chopped veggies. Top with shredded cheese. Refrigerate for at least two hours or until ready to serve. 

Meatless Mondays: Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup

A very long time ago, while watching Rachael Ray, I heard her say to save the woody ends of asparagus instead of throwing them away because they can be made into soups. I remembered this little tip while I was making Marinated Asparagus, Tomatoes, and Hearts of Palm the other day.

I scoured the internet looking for recipes for asparagus soup using the leftover parts of asparagus, but every singe recipe called for whole asparagus.

 I decided to go for it anyway and threw in spinach and broccoli because I had those on hand and knew it would bulk up the nutritional value and flavor of the soup. I used vegetable soup as the base but used a little half and half to make it more velvety and creamy. Shredded parmesan cheese added in at the end made the soup richer. This soup is uber healthy and chock full of veggies. I hope you'll give a try the next time you have asparagus ends and if you do, please let me know what you think!

Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup
An Ashley's Cooking Adventures Original
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound of the leftover woody ends of asparagus
1 cup spinach (frozen or fresh)
1 cup broccoli (frozen or fresh)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup halt and half
2 tablespoons garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions
In a dutch oven or large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a slow boil. Add the asparagus and broccoli to the pot and cook for about five minutes. Add in the spinach and cook two minutes more. Stir in the garlic. Take the pot off the heat and with a hand blender, slowly begin to puree the vegetables until only a few small chunks remain (or to your desired consistency).

Add in the lemon juice and half and half. Stir in Parmesan cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and sour cream if desired (this was my hubby's touch). 

Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

This week after my mom shared with me that she made a broccoli cheese soup I began craving it like crazy. I decided to use this recipe from the Food Network, but modified it by adding in cauliflower. The results were a belly warming, cheesy soup. This recipe makes a huge batch, great for a family dinner. The Food Network recipe includes directions for a bread bowl, next time I'll have to try that.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 head of broccoli, chopped

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

1 large carrot, diced

2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about

20 minutes.

Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Garnish with cheese once in individual bowls.

Aunt Marlene's Broccoli Casserole

The women in my family are all incredible cooks. My Grandma Hutchinson was an expert baker. She would make homemade pies, completely from scratch, cookies, and Grandma made my favorite birthday dessert, a fluffy strawberry concoction that I still to this day have cravings for. Maybe I'll make it for a later post.

My Grandma Walters always made her recipes from memory. Her mind is like a recipe box, which tended to frustrate the rest of us when we would ask her to share her recipes, as she would say, oh it's a dash of this, a handful of that... We finally got her to share some of her recipes with us in actual measurements a couple of years ago when we put together a Walters family cookbook.

This recipe comes from the Walters Cookbook. It's a recipe from my Aunt Marlene, who like the other women in my family, is a wonderful cook. Aunt Marlene's recipes are more on the healthy side than anyone else's, which I love! She uses low fat items and you'd never know the difference. Since I grew up with a Diabetic father, we only had low fat items in our house, so Aunt Marlene's recipes are right up my alley, as I TRY to cook substituting healthier items.

This recipe is a casserole that Aunt Marlene would bring to family get togethers and pot lucks. I absolutely love it because it has healthy vegetables but is creamy and flavorful. I always took a big helping of this casserole, and you will too!! It makes a big pan, so is perfect for a family or group dinner.

A confession about the word casserole: it sort of turns me off. I am not sure if it a generational thing or because my (wonderful, beautiful, loving) mother made sooooo many casseroles for us when I was a child. "Casserole" makes me think of a 50s housewife wearing a cotton dress and apron, smiling as she pulls a casserole (comprised of who knows what) from the oven. This is a misconception that I need to get over!! Especially because casseroles are usually very delicious and easy and great for feeding large crowds or families. It's my issue, and I am working on it!! Would it be okay though, if I call this Aunt Marlene's Broccoli Goodness instead?? Just kidding.

The recipe is as follows. I made a few modifications noted underneath:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix (approximately 20 - 24 ounces)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (low fat)
• 1 can creamed of mushroom soup
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
• 3 tablespoons of butter

Cook the veggies in the microwave until done and drain. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and gently fold in veggie mix. Pour into greased 13 X 9 inch casserole pan. Sprinkle the top with Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix. Dot the top with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly.

Note: I used fresh broccoli and cauliflower and definitely recommend that. I just put the veggies in a dish with water and cooked them in the microwave for about 6 minutes each. I also used bread crumbs instead of the stuffing mix because I didn't have stuffing mix and am not a big fan of stuffing mix anyway. I also grated fresh Parmesan cheese on the top because we happened to have some and ooooooh it was so cheesy! I am actually eating the leftovers right this very moment and my mouth and belly are very happy! Yours will be too when you give this recipe a try.

Special thanks to Aunt Marlene and the women in my life (Grandmas, Aunts, and most of all Mom). You have all inspired me to learn to cook since I was a little girl, and each of you have always shown me that cooking is love, family, and special times to be shared and enjoyed. I love you all!

Ashley