My kids are growing up. I knew they would, but seriously… why does it have to happen overnight? One day it is Thomas the Train and Bob the Builder and the next it is all sports and Pokemon. Little People are getting replaced with even littler Polly Pockets. Elmo and Zoe are no longer favorites and instead we love Troy and Gabriella.

I knew things were changing around here when we started back to school. On a shopping trip to buy my 7 year old new underwear, he told me, “Mom, will you please stop buying me underwear with characters on them? I don’t want Transformers or anything… just plain underwear.” While shopping at the Disney store, my big Kindergartner told me that “Princess backpacks are soooo preschool, mom. I just want a plain pink or purple backpack.” Well, then. Okey doke.

Even my 3 year old is getting in on the big act, saying things my other two never had even heard at this age. “I see London, I see France, I see someones pants on fire.” She doesn’t quite have it down completely, but still… so grown up.

The kiddos are even growing up with their meal time behavior. No longer am I getting the “Ewwww…what’s that?” or the “I don’t like <enter random veggie here>”. Instead I am getting at least one, if not two willing kid eaters for just about everything I put on the table. Jacob doesn’t question anything anymore and will try what is placed in front of him. He has always been a good eater, but this more “grown up at the old age of 7” version of Jacob does’t bat an eye at anything and pretty much devours whatever is on his plate.

If you’ve got a bunch of grown up little eaters in your house, try this Rachael Ray recipe out for Zucchini and Bow Ties (and incidentally, Rachael… no hard feelings about Dine & Dish suddenly being removed after a year of holding a very appreciative spot on your fave blogs list and being replaced with a blog that has a very similar name… not hurt by that at all, so don’t worry a thing about it, ‘kay? Incidentally, I do understand that apparently you and the other blog are “friends” so my being on your list was probably a mistake in the first place anyway, but still… was flattered and now, no hard feelings. ) Sorry…where was I? Oh – this recipe… the whimsical bow tie pastas and the grown up zucchini is the perfect combination of maturity (hello – High School Musical) and child (we love Elmo!).

Zucchini and Bow Ties from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Coarse Salt
1 pound bow-tie pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, cut into matchsticks
Coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or shredded (20 leaves)

(I added 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the bow ties al dente, with a bite. Heads up: You will need a couple of ladles of starchy cooking water.

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add a couple of ladles of cooking water. Drain the pasta and add to the zucchini. Toss with the cheese and turn off the heat. Toss for 2 minutes, until the liquids are absorbed. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of shredded basil on top.

Check out some other blogged about recipes from Rachael Ray 365 No Repeats:

• Florentine Meatballs from Family, Friends and Food
• Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing from The Savory Notebook
• Park City Cashew Chicken from Tarheel Table
• Chicken, Black Bean and Corn Soup from A Good Appetite

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Signs of Growing Up (Recipe – Zucchini and Bow Ties) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

• Random Non-Food Related Thought #1 – I’ve been contemplating buying a Dyson vacuum but am hesitant to plunk down that much change for a vacuum cleaner. According to my contacts over at Twitter, a Dyson is well worth the investment. What do you think? Experiences?
• Random Non-Food Related Thought #2 – I turn 35 in less than 2 weeks. Why is it that as a teenager I had perfect skin, but now that I am in my mid-30’s I am having massive breakouts?  Bring on the .
• Random Non-Food Related Thought #3 – I wonder if people who are auditioning for American Idol play the American Idol Wii game. I’ve actually won the game and have become the next American Wii Idol… thinking it may give those people considering auditioning a little more confidence than they should have to audition.
• Random Non-Food Related Thought #4 – I really need to find a good blog designer for another blog I’m working on. If Jules with Everyday Design is not available, I need to get someone else in place pronto! Do you know of anyone you can refer?
• Random Non-Food Related Thought #5 – My husband doesn’t read this blog or our family blog, and I think that is starting to irk me a bit. Seriously… if he wrote a blog (which will never happen) but still…if he wrote a blog I would hang on every word and would love to have that glimpse into his life.  Do your loved ones read your blog?

My thoughts are now getting a bit too random to even continue. I do have to share this recipe with you that I tried out last week. You may have remembered seeing it on our menu. I followed the recipe exactly, but added some chicken breast pieces sauteed in rosemary and garlic. Delicious!

Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine

1 pound penne pasta
2T butter
1 onion, chopped
salt & pepper
1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Return the pasta to the pot, along with the reserved pasta water, and toss. Stir in the parmesan; season with salt & pepper.

Top pasta with parsley and more parmesan to serve.

I know that so many people have such a love/hate relationship with Rachael Ray. I admit, I don’t watch her shows, but I do like a lot of her recipes. Other food bloggers do too! Check out some of these food blog tried and true Rachael Ray recipes:

• Gigi’s Apple Cake from Culinarily Obsessed
• Garlicky Bean and Chicken Enchiladas from Taste and Tell
• Spanish Shrimp and Chorizo Skewers from I’m Running to Eat
• Cheddar Cheese and Macaroni from Family, Friends and Food

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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I am a very visual person. I love to have recipes with photographs… it makes the recipe that much more tempting and desirable. Often times, I will be flipping through a magazine and will fall in love with a photo of a recipe, only to take a look at the recipe and realize that I really don’t care for some of the ingredients in the dish. This does not happen very often, as I am not a very picky eater, but when it does sometimes I am still lured in just enough by the photo to throw out my picky qualms about an ingredient and to try the recipe anyway.

This happened recently when I was flipping through June/July 2008 issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray. A photograph for an appetizer called “Sky Blue Potatoes” caught my eye and I immediately was intrigued. Then, I took a look at the ingredients and noticed that the “Blue” in the recipe title actually came from the fact that Blue Cheese is one of the prominent ingredients. I have never been a fan of Blue Cheese. I have always wanted to be, but each and every time I try it it just does nothing for my tastebuds. I was still being tempted by the photo, so I decided to make this appetizer anyway.

This appetizer was not a huge amount of work, but to do all of that work only to discover that you still do not like blue cheese is a little disappointing.  I don’t know what I was expecting my tastebuds to do…did I really think they were going to make a big whopping change, just like that? Actually, yes… yes I did. I just thought that I’d make the recipe, take my first bite, and suddenly be in love with blue cheese! It didn’t happen, folks. In case you are wondering, I still am not a blue cheese fan.

This appetizer got a thumbs up from the Blue Cheese lovers who tried it. If you are of the Blue Cheese loving group, you’ll love this appetizer. If you are not, I’ve done the work for you and can tell you… blue cheese still tastes like blue cheese no matter how tempting the photograph!

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