Happy Labor Day!

To all of my American friends who have the day off from work, enjoy! I know that some of you, such as my Beren, aren't as fortunate. The poor dear was woken by the alarm at his usual time and is already headed to the office. I could have lolled about in bed but being the good woman that I am, I got up with him and shared our morning coffee routine. I'm still in my nightie, though, in no hurry to get dressed and start tackling the multitude of household chores that await me! What is it they say, a woman's work is never done? How true that is! The overflowing baskets of laundry don't care that it's Labor Day, now, do they?

But first, I'll finish this cup of coffee while I do some menu planning, how about that?

Monday ~ Tomato Zucchini Casserole (redux recipe below)
Tuesday ~ Pizza Night for the family, leftovers for me
Wednesday ~ The Loaded Bowl
Thursday ~ Vegetarian Chili
Friday through Sunday ~ Out of Town, TBD

You'll note that I have no formal menu for the weekend because we hope to be in Ormond Beach house and I have no clue what my pantry up there contains at the moment. We're sticking really close to the budget this month since 1) we're broke and 2) we need to save money for next month's trip to NY! More about that later, I really should get my tush moving because the house isn't gonna clean itself.

As you can see, I tweaked the original recipe to lower fat & calories and increased the serving size to accommodate my brood. Enjoy!


Tomato Zucchini Casserole Redux

2 1/4 cups reduced- fat grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/4 cup light butter substitute
2 tablespoons light butter substitute
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 cup and 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9x9-inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine Cheddar, Parmesan, oregano, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3. Arrange half of the zucchini slices in the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese and herb mixture on top. Arrange half of the tomatoes, and top with another 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers.

4. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until they have absorbed the butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole.

5. Cover loosely with foil, and bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until the top is crusty and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Number of Servings: 6;255.3 Calories; 10.5g fat; 16.0g ProteinHave a Beauty-Full Day,