While this dish is quite hearty on it’s own, you might stretch it to serve more by making it a side dish to grilled or seasoned baked chicken breasts, then maybe add a green salad on the side as well. Either way, be sure to have some crusty bread or dinner rolls to go along with it.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoon Olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup dried tomato
• 1 (15oz) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed & drained
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) pre-shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in skillet.
2. Add zucchini and next 5 ingredients, sauté 10 minutes
3. Stir in tomato, beans, and rosemary, cook 5 minutes
4. Add spinach, salt, pepper to zucchini mixture.
5. Cook until spinach wilts.
6. Sprinkle with cheese.
7. Cover & let stand until cheese begins to melt.

Reminder: Discard the rosemary sprigs before serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 package sugar free vanilla pudding
1 package sugar free strawberry jello
4 cups Strawberries
fat free whipped topping (optional)

Instructions:

Bring water and pudding mix to boil. Take off stove, add package of jello and stir. Allow to cool. Line a pie plate with sliced strawberries. Pour pudding on top of strawberries. Allow to set in refrigerator for at least one hour until firm or overnight for best result. Top with fat free whipped topping if desired.

If you’ve just purchased a large bag of apples or you are harvesting your own apples, here are a few ideas for recipes:

1. Apple Pie
   One of my favorite things to do with apples, and a highly requested pot luck item. Everyone has their own recipe for apple pie, and it’s extremely easy to find.
2. Apple Crisp
   Another popular recipe, and appears easy to make. I personally have never made apple crisp, but I do know how wonderful it can be when homemade.
3. Baked Apples
   Wonderful for desserts or as a sweet addition to any meal. If you have never tried baked apples, you are missing out. Very tasty!

There are tons of other things you can do with an apple. Don’t forget the best thing of all – apples as snacks! Used with peanut butter or caramel dip, it makes for a perfect after school snack.

About the Author: Kara Kelso is the mother of two, and owner of several websites. For apple recipes, visit: http://www.idea-queen.com/apple-recipes.html

If you have a tomato garden, you know how quickly those tomatoes start to pile up. The next time you have more tomatoes than you can handle, try using them with some of these recipe ideas.

Tomatoes have more uses than some realize. In addition to being used on sandwiches and BLTs, try using tomatoes in these recipes:

1. Salsa
Who doesn’t love salsa? If you grow peppers with your tomatoes, you can easily make a delicious homemade salsa!

2. Pizza Sauce
One of our favorite uses. In the winter when there are no tomatoes, we used canned tomatoes to make homemade pizza sauce.

3. Tomato Soup
It may not be a favorite to some and not all that great for summer, but when made in the winter using your own canned tomatoes from earlier in the year it’s absolutely perfect! Plan ahead to can some of your tomatoes so you can have this homemade treat later on.

The next time you are stumped as to what to do with all those tomatoes and are sick of BLTs, see what other uses you can come up with!

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About the Author: Kara Kelso is the mother of two, and owner of several websites. For more tomato recipes and ideas, visit: http://www.idea-queen.com/tomato-recipes.html.