Pesto Pasta with Tomatoes

What you will need:
1 jar prepared pesto
1 lb Pasta
2 cans diced tomatoes drained

Prepare pasta per directions. While warm add Pesto. Mix well and add tomatoes. This is a great cold pasta salad. Serves 6-8

Cheesey Beans and Rice

What you will need:
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup cooked black beans
1/4 cup diced tomatoes (not drained)
1/4 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

We were having burritos for dinner, and needed an option Freddie could eat. Since the meat was a bit tough for him we used the other fillings to come up with this meal (Which he loved).

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl warm slightly if necessary.

Meat Lasagna

What you will need:
1 box Dried Lasagna Noodles Cooked **
4-6 Cups Milk
1 Cup Flour
1 cup of butter
1 can Crushed Tomato
1 can tomato paste
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves Garlic Minced
1 onion diced small
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 lb shredded Mozzerella
2 Cups Parmesean

We made this for Freddie's first birthday. This is a traditional Italian Lasagna. Instead of Ricotta it is common to use a Milk, flour and Butter mixture called a Becemel sauce. I think it makes the most spectacular Lasagna.

Sautee onion and Garlic on medium heat in olive oil. When onion is translucent add ground beef and chop well so that meat forms very small separated pieces. Drain oil from beef and addcan of Crushed tomatoes and tomatoe Paste. Mix well set aside.

In a pot melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of flour and mix well with a whisk. add milk 1/4 cup at a time and whisk until you have a creamy consistancy. Repeat with remaining butter and Flour if needed.

In a lasagna pan start by layering bechemel sauce, meat, pasta and Cheeses. Continue until you run out of noodles or height in the pan. Top Layer should be Bechemel sauce, reserve some cheese.

Bake covered at 350 for 40 minutes. Top with remaining Cheese and bake uncovered until topis bubbly and browning. Allow to sit 10minutes and serve. You can top this with Fresh Basil if you please.

** note I do not recommend the no cook pasta it does not give the consistancy that I look for in my lasagna.

"Stuffed" Tomatoes

What you will need:
2 cooked Chicken Breasts
3 Tomatoes (On the vine work best)
4 tablespoons Pea Puree
1 tablespoon Mayo
Onion Salt
Ground Pepper

As a Child one of my favorite dinners were tomatoes stuffed with tuna. This is an alternative using chicken which is more universal.

Chop chicken in a food processor or for older children dice Chicken. Transfer to a bowl and add Pea puree, Mayo a pinck of onion salt and Pepper. Mix with a spoon until well blended.

Prepare tomatoes by cutting of tops. Use a spoon to gently remove center of tomato. Fill tomatoed with Chicken mixture for the adults or older children. For toddlers dice up the tomato and serve it with the Chicken salad.

Bruschetta

What you will need:
5 Tomatoes what ever is in season (Plum if winter)
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil (Extra virgin if possible)
Fresh Basil cut in strips.
salt to taste

Take Basil and pick off 6 leaves and stack them on top of eachother. Roll them lengthwise. Slice into small pieces and this will create your strips.

Add Basil into bowl with Olive oil and garlic. Mix and set aside for about 15 minutes so the garlic and basil can flavor the oil. Dice tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Mix tomatoes in with oil mixture.

Serving Suggestions: Serve on toast, Pasta, with Crackers, or even add to grilled chese sandwich. Top with a little Parmesean cheese if you like.

Macaroni and Meat

What you will need:
about 1 Lb Ground Turkey, Chicken, or Beef
3 cups (dried) of Elbow Pasta - Cooked
1 finely Diced Onion
1 finely Diced Green or Red Pepper
1 finely diced carrot
2 finely diced stalks of celery
1 clove Garlic Crushed
1 can diced Tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 cup Mozzerella cheese shredded
Parmesean Cheese
Olive Oil

This was one of the first meals that we had and shared with Freddie. It made for some fun pictures of baby in Tomato Sauce, but over all it was a hit. I think Mommy and Daddy enjoyed this the most! When dicing veggies dice should be about 1/2 a cenimeter square.

In a large Dutch oven or pot heat 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, Pepper, Carrot, and celery. Cook until onions are translucent and soft. Add ground meat of your choice to pan and break up with spatula cook until browned and pieces are well broken up. Add Tomato paste and diced tomatoes (not drained). Stir until well mixed with Meat. Add cooked pasta to mixture and coat. Add mozzerella Cheese and allow to melt. Serve topped with Parmesean Cheese.