Creamed Lima Beans

This is my mother-in-law's recipe. She's been making it her whole life and whenever there is a potluck or family gathering, this is what she makes to bring. I don't remember ever eating lima beans before I met my husband and tried this dish but it surely was good. And when we served it baptism weekend my Mom didn't want to try it because she's "not a bean person" (her words). I told her to just take a taste (when did I become the parent?) so she did and then said she really liked them. So there! (Muah ... love ya Mom!)

The recipe below is as dictated by my mother-in-law as she was preparing it. There are not many measurements so the recipe will be more in paragraph form than anything.

Butter the sides of the pan and also add about 3 Tbsp butter to the boiling water. Then add 2 bags of lima beans (but these have to be fordhook lima beans, not baby lima beans ... to my mother-in-law this was VERY important). Add water to cover the lima beans (about halfway up the pan, cover and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

When beans are cooked through, add half-and-half to bring to top of beans. Do not boil, but keep it hot. Dissolve about 3 Tbsp cornstarch with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the heated half and half. Then add that back to the bean mixture and stir until thickened. Watch it because you may end up needing to use more cornstarch to get it to the proper thickness. Check seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.

Source: my mother-in-law

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

My husband is probably the world's biggest meat eater. Anyway, so he was out of town a couple of days last week and I decided to make this. He had asked me earlier in the day what I was planning on doing for dinner so I told him. Then I said, "I'd make it for you, but I know you like to have meat with dinner and this is only veggies." To which I received this reply: "That sounds good, I'd eat it." So I decided to delay making it until he got home. It was worth the wait. So yummy. Even my carnivore hubby loved it and said he'd eat it again. It was very flavorful and made my kitchen smell fabulous.

Veggie Lasagna Rolls

7-8 lasagna noodles, cooked to package directions
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzerella cheese
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
Cooking spray
2 cups marinara (I used primavera sauce)
2 cloves minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine ricotta, 1/4 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg white, parsley, basil, salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat skillet on medium-high. Add olive oil and saute red pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add spinach and stir until it wilts. Remove from heat and let mixture cool.
4. Combine veggie mixture with ricotta mixture. Spread the cheese mixture over noodles in a thin layer. Roll up and place in baking dish, seam side down. Spoon marinara over each and cover with foil.
5. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining mozzerella and bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes.

Source: bakin and eggs

See how delicious this looked with all the veggies cooking in the pan! So colorful and fragrant!


And here is the finished product. Please forgive the really ugly plates. My husband cannot throw anything that is still functional out. Would you believe these plates were his aunt and uncle's wedding china? It's like 40 years old.

Creamed Spinach

This was also a Julie original recipe and was very simple

2 10-oz boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup Parmesan

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add cream and nutmeg and cook until it slightly reduces, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and Parmesan and combine.

I'm not a huge spinach lover but thought this was really good.