I have talked about how much I enjoy having a garden before. When I was growing up we would go to visit my relatives every summer in British Columbia. These summers hold some of my favorite memories. We got to spend time with my Grandma's and Aunt and Uncle and cousins. My Aunt and Uncle had a very large garden. We would love to check it out. It took up a nice portion of their back yard. I remember looking at all of the different things they grew and being amazed by it all. I always used to think that one day when I grew up I was going to have a garden of my very own. I am happy to say that I have a garden of my own now. I have cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, anaheim peppers, bell peppers, parsley and basil. I have had a great summer full of fresh vegetables. I am so thrilled ! When I came in from the garden with this harvest I decided I was going to make a zucchini lasagna for dinner. Believe it or not there were 42 cherry tomatoes from this harvest alone. My husband and I love to snack on these any time of the day.
The recipe was something that I just made up as I went along. I enjoy doing that. I think it kind of mixes things up a bit. I like to add my own touch to dishes. So for this recipe I started by chopping 2 cloves of garlic and also chopping up a bunch of basil and some parsley.
I was really excited to find the tomato sauce I use in these nice new cartons. The cartons are just like the ones that Swanson Chicken Broth come in. I love this because it makes things so easy. Sometimes when I am making something I do not need the entire can. This way I can store it right in the fridge.
This recipe is a definite make again. It tasted even better the second day. I think that is the case with some recipes. As good as they taste the first night the next day they often taste even better. I think it has something to do with all the ingredients sitting together over night.
One of my daughters needs to eat Gluten Free and also has to watch certain foods because of her Ulcerative Colitis. I am always trying to come up with recipes that will work really well for her. If you have not had to go Gluten Free then you might not know that Gluten is in so much of what we eat, including sauces. We have tried many GF items from the store. Unfortunately they do not always taste very good. This recipe is GF and was a big hit with my daughter.
The recipe for this dish is as follows:
2 cloves of garlic chopped ( you can use as much or as little garlic as you like )
Bunch of fresh Basil, chopped ( My bunch amounted to about 1 tablespoon)
Bunch of fresh parsley, chopped ( My bunch amounted to about 1 tablespoon )
1 teaspoon seal salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 large box of tomato sauce ( if you use cans then use 2 large cans )
Zucchini ( I used my large zucchini from the garden. If using store bought you will probably need 6)
Mozzerella cheese
Start by chopping the garlic, basil and parsley. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to a pan and then sautee the garlic about 2 -3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, basil, parsley, sea salt and sugar. Mix together well. Let sauce simmer about 20minutes.
Slice zucchini. Scoop some sauce into the bottom of a lasagna pan. Place strips of zucchini over sauce and continue alternating just as if you are making an actual lasagna. Top the last layer of zucchini with sauce and then top with mozzarella chefs. Place in a 375 degree oven and bake for a half hour until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy!
I have been working on some recipes that are GF and I will be sharing them on my blog. I want to share what I can through this journey and hope that it might be something that will benefit others as well.
I have been going through many changes recently. Some of these changes have helped to open my eyes about many things. It reinforced in me the need to stay true to my feelings, to stay close to my family and really take a deep look at what is really important in my life. After all we are all given one life to live. It is up to each person to make the best of their own life. I will be sharing many things on my blog and I hope that people will be able to find something to take away from my posts. Remember your life is a dream in the making, so go out there and be happy!
Until next time,
Teresa
