Spring's Beauty and What's Been Cooking

We've had lots of rain, as it is April, and something I guess we have to endure in order to bring forth the beauty of spring in all its splendor and May flowers.  We've also had some absolutely perfect sunny days, which causes me to throw school to the side and embrace the day!


















It has been a long time since I made Red Beans and Rice with Kielbasa and I'm not sure why I forgot about it because, upon making it recently, we gobbled it up, it is so delicious!



I also tried a new recipe from the IP Bible cookbooks, Turkey Meatballs with Rice Noodles and it's a keeper for sure!



I recently bought a NutriBullet and have been making a lot of shakes.  I'm amazed at how it can take carrots, apples and everything else and in seconds pulverize them into particles so small you can't really see them and they go down so easily like a milkshake!  How did I live without this machine so long?  I made up my own shake recently, it was so much that I ended up giving some to my daughter, so this is really probably for 2 servings.  I blended 6 baby carrots, an apple, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup of unsweetened soymilk and a scoop of protein powder and 2T water.



Lastly, I made some meatless Baked Ziti and it was so good and filling!  The recipe was a bit confusing and I actually cooked it with all the spaghetti sauce, I think you are supposed to do just a thin layer on bottom and then cook it and then add the rest of the sauce after.  Either way, it turned out great.  I didn't think to take a picture until after we had finished and I was putting leftovers away: