Tofu-Cheese & Veggie Lasagna

Tonight we had dinner at my mother-in-law's. I made a "Cheezy" Tofu Lasagna, with a side of store bought potato rosemary bread and salad. This recipe is so easy, I know it off the top of my head (it's modified versions from several recipes). I got rave reviews, they especially liked the fresh tomatoes that I topped it with, it made a really nice touch.

Ingredients:

• 12 strips of Lasagna noodles, cooked until they are mostly done.
• 1 package of firm water packed tofu- drained
  
• 1 container "Tofutti" non-hydrogenated cream cheese
• 1 c. nutritional yeast
  
• 1 bunch of spinach
• 1/4 c. chopped onion
• 1 small zucchini
  
• 1 tomato, diced
  
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce

Directions:

While noodles are cooking, preheat oven to 375 F. In a small saucepan heat tofu, cream cheese and nutritional yeast together, over Med. heat, until melted- stirring often. In an oiled skillet combine onion, zucchini and pepper and saute until tender. In an 9x12 casserole dish, place one layer of cooked noodles on the bottom, cover with saute'd veggies, spinach leaves and half-jar of sauce. Add another layer of noodles and top with cheese mixture. Cover with noodles and top with spinach, sauce and diced tomato (you can add shredded soy cheese too, if you'd like). Bake at 375 for about 35-45 mins. Serve with garlic bread and enjoy with your family!

Penne & Cheese, Mushrooms & Trees

Hubby got into tonight's dinner! He even wanted me to show his homebrew in the pic, and helped come up with the name. He talked me out of 'Shrooms N' Trees because it sounded too hippy.

This was a great recipe. It was inspired by a broccoli & mushroom Alfredo off of vegweb.com. But I feel I altered it enough to call it my own.



Recipe:

• Penne pasta (as much as you would eat in one sitting)
• 2/3 cup broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup plain soy milk
  
• 2 tablespoons white flour
• 1 crushed or chopped garlic cloves (to taste)
• plenty of salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 2/3 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (any kind)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance)
• 1/2 c. nutritional yeast
  

Cooking Directions:
Start boiling water for the pasta. chop the garlic and add to an oiled pan- saute on med heat. Chop mushrooms and add to garlic in the pan. When water boils, add penne pasta. In a med saucepan mix together milk, flour, margarine, olive oil, and yeast. Bring to a boil over med heat until thick while occasionally whisking sauce. Before you drain the pasta, add chopped broccoli to the boiling water and cook for about 3-5 mins. Drain. Mix with sauce and mushrooms, top with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

We liked this a lot. It was really easy and quick to make, with not a lot of chopping. It's a keeper!

Gee Whiz Mac N' Cheeze

Tonight was a mac and cheese made from the Gee Whiz cheese spread from the book "The Uncheese Cookbook". It was super easy, and we just happened to put on some white beans earlier today. The cheeze sauce was a little tangy, even though I didn't use nearly the amount of lemon juice the recipe called for.