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Gluten Free Zucchini Penne Bake #liveGfree

ALDI Zucchini liveGFree Collage 2

Now that I am working, convenient yet healthy meals are even more of a must for our family than ever before. I love my slow cooker but there’s at least one or two nights a week I don’t use it, and whip something up quickly. One of my very favorite things has always been a delicious baked pasta with lots of marinara and parmesan, and recently I discovered it’s also very good with an extra-healthy veggie added in: zucchini. When my pals at ALDI asked me to blog about a main dish made with their LiveGfree gluten-free products,  I knew this was what I wanted to make. The LiveGfree pasta – penne, rotini, and spaghetti, is delicious. It’s everything you want in a pasta, and it doesn’t taste any different than “regular” pasta.

Jonah is a big pasta-eater and so ALDI’s LiveGfree pasta has been a godsend for us! He loves this meal – I kind have to make sure his zucchini is cut up pretty small to sneak it in on him, though. 🙂 Here’s what you need for this Gluten-Free Zucchini Penne Bake.

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  • 1 pkg ALDI LiveGfree Gluten-Free Penne Rigate Pasta
  • 1 jar Simply Nature Organic Marinara Sauce
  • 8 oz Happy Farms Shredded Mozarella Cheese
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1/4 tsp Stonemill Essentials Salt
  • 1 tsp Stonemill Essentials Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 cup Priano Shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 clove minced garlic (forgot to include this in the picture)

Steps:

Bring water to a boil in a large pot according to LiveGfree penne package instructions:

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Once water is boiling, pour pasta in and cook for 10-12 minutes.

While pasta is boiling, slice zucchini in 1/8-inch thin strips. Place on a plate and sprinkle with salt (this pulls water out of the zucchini so it won’t add water to your pasta bake.)

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Next, add mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, and italian seasoning to a small mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

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After pasta is done cooking, drain it and add a small amount to a 9 x 13 baking dish.

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Next, add a layer of your sliced zucchini, then a layer of marinara sauce, then a layer of cheese mixture.

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Repeat these steps until you are out of all the ingredients and your dish looks like this:

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Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until the cheese on top is nice and browned.

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Enjoy your delicious gluten-free dinner!

Thanks, ALDI for sponsoring this post, and my dinner!

Have you made a main dish with LiveGfree items yet? What’s your favorite? I can’t wait to tell you about my overall favorites from the line in my next post, so stay tuned!

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A Family Celebration

A week ago today, my daddy turned 70. This past weekend, we had a small party. Just our family, but as usual, we had as my dad likes to say, “a big time”. Before the festivities, my dear friend Tess came and took some pictures. We had hoped that Jonah was finally of an age where we might actually get a good picture of all nine of my parents’ grandchildren together. Happily, it worked out! (Also happily, my mom and dad’s house is next to a church with some picturesque architecture.)

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The Brads grandkids, age 17 to 3.
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My parents with their 9 grandchildren.
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This one of Jonah is obviously, my favorite!

All last week as I pondered my Daddy’s milestone, it was not without being aware of how blessed I am to still have my parents with me. Monday, Sophie’s former speech therapist’s mom passed away unexpectedly. My heart broke all week for this special girl and her sisters and their dad. Wednesday, my dad’s actual birthday, I posted “Happy 70th birthday to my Daddy! I love you so much!” A few hours later, I read, “Today is my daddy’s funeral.” on another Facebook friend’s status. And Saturday, the day of my dad’s birthday party, was the 3-year anniversary of my friend E’s dad’s death.

Though I know none of these friends begrudged my family our celebration, I still felt a bit guilty. But I quickly shook that off. The only way to feel, I know, is thankful.

I am thankful that I have such awesome, loving parents. That they love not only their children and grandchildren, but each other so well.

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My much older brothers, my parents, and me.

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Five years ago on my father’s 65th birthday I wrote sort of an ode to him, and I know he reads it from time to time. I’m glad those words are there, and they are as true today as they were five years ago. I have the best Dad any child could’ve asked for, and beyond that, my family – my mother and brothers and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews and of course my husband and children is about as ideal as it could possibly be. And then there are my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins that are the icing on the familial cake. I seldom feel as blessed or as happy as I do at a family party, with all my favorites in one place. I mean my teenage nieces and nephews are so great, you guys, they have taken the edge off of the paralyzing fear I feel about being the mother of a teenager one day. And when you take a close look at Sophie, you know that’s quite an accomplishment.

When I think about my family, I think that it’s true that I was born honestly born with everything I’d ever need in life. Two parents who loved the Lord and loved each other, two brothers to teach me how to laugh and have unshakeable self-confidence, and a loving extended family to teach me, among other things, the importance of appreciating that family can equal friends. All of that led to what I have now. Trust in a God who loves me no matter what my circumstances, a wonderful husband who loves me despite myriad flaws, and three beautiful kids who love me because I feed them (I kid, I kid. Sort of.)

I love my family. I’m glad we make time to celebrate together. I’m glad that we take time to laugh together.

And most of all, I’m really glad that all of us finally text. I mean, all those phone calls were getting pretty laborious. (Kidding again! This was getting too deep.)

Happy birthday, Dad! Thanks for leading our family so well for all these years. I love you!

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Disney on Ice Princesses and Heroes GIVEAWAY!

A couple of years ago Emily took my kids to Disney on Ice – I can’t remember why I didn’t go! Was Jonah sick, Em? I just can’t remember. ANYWAY, last year we didn’t go for some reason and Sophie found out about it from friends at school and she was DEVASTATED that we didn’t go. So, this year, I decided I better not mess this one up! Because the Disney on Ice Princesses and Heroes presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt  show that will be at the Nutter Center in Dayton starting October 22 is gonna feature these two superstars:

Frozen on ice

That’s right: The gals from Frozen are gonna be in the HOUSE! Sophie is gonna freak out!

But before we all freak out, let me tell you some important details so you can get your family to the show!

Show times are Wednesday, Oct. 22, Thursday, Oct. 23 and Friday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 25, 1 and 5 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 26, 1 and 5 p.m.  Tickets are $13-56 and available at Wright State University’s Nutter Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Ok, so you can BUY tickets – whee! But you can also WIN them from us (more details at the end)! And an even better way to get tickets? The BEST way, in my opinion? Head to the Dayton Mall THIS SATURDAY September 27th from 10am-12pm. (Go to the center court, near Macy’s, specifically!!) Donate a NEW pair of winter mittens or gloves or a winter hat to Hannah’s Treasure Chest, and you will get a ticket voucher for opening night – Wednesday, October 22! Limit of TWO vouchers per family. How great is that? Hannah’s Treasure Chest is an awesome non-profit in our area that works with social service workers, family advocates and school counselors to provide clothing, furniture, baby equipment and other items to children in need. I happen to know the executive director and she’s good people! AND this organization helps hundreds of Dayton-area families in need every year. So let’s help them out with some items to keep kids warm this winter. If it’s anything like last winter, THEY WILL NEED IT! So get to the Dayton Mall this Saturday for a great give and get deal!!

I mean, the Frozen characters being added to the Disney on Ice show kind of ties in really well with the Warm Hands promotion for Hannah’s Treasure Chest, right? Such social good genius! I really hope you will take part. I have seen first hand when I go into the schools with Shoes 4 the Shoeless that there are LOTS of kids without gloves and hats, waiting at bus stops in bitter cold. Let’s help them out!!!

And now for the giveaway: Get more tickets by entering to win a family four-pack of tickets right here! Simply comment below with your favorite Disney character. One winner will be chosen Monday, September 29th at 6pm EST. Good luck! Thanks to Feld Entertainment for providing the tickets to giveaway and for sending Emily and me and our kids to the show!

Happy entering!

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