Author: rosemarythymecozykitchen

Italian Tomato & Provolone Spaghetti Squash

🍅🌿 Another Delicious Way to Use Those Garden Tomatoes!

If your garden is giving you tomatoes faster than you can use them, here is one more cozy, easy dinner idea for the list: Italian Tomato & Provolone Spaghetti Squash.

One of my favorite little kitchen tricks with spaghetti squash is to pierce it first and microwave it for 3–5 minutes before cutting it in half. It softens that hard outer shell just enough to make slicing it much easier.

Italian Tomato & Provolone Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • 1½–2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup shredded or chopped provolone cheese
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh basil or parsley, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Pierce the spaghetti squash several times and microwave for 3–5 minutes. Let it cool briefly, then carefully cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  3. Brush the squash lightly with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning and black pepper.
  4. Divide the cherry tomatoes between the squash halves and drizzle with a little olive oil.
  5. Roast, cut-side up, for 35–45 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the tomatoes are soft and beginning to burst.
  6. Use a fork to gently loosen the squash into strands and stir the roasted tomatoes through them.
  7. Top with provolone and Parmesan.
  8. Return to the oven for another 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a little extra browning, place it under the broiler for a minute or two.
  9. Finish with fresh basil or parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil.

The melted provolone makes this feel wonderfully comforting, while the fresh tomatoes keep it light and summery. And best of all, it gives me one more way to enjoy those beautiful tomatoes coming out of the garden! 🍅💛

Helene
Rosemary Thyme 🌿😊
Fall in Love with Home Again 💛🏠

Slow Cooker Creamy Carrot, Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Soup

Slow Cooker Creamy Carrot, Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Soup

A cold front moved through yesterday, and this morning the sky was cloudy and gray with that unmistakable coolness in the air. The very first thing I thought of was soup.

I opened my freezer to see what I had on hand and found bags of carrots, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash waiting to be used. With a carton of unsalted chicken broth in the pantry and a few herbs from the spice cabinet, a pot of soup was soon simmering away in the slow cooker.

There is something comforting about using simple ingredients you already have and turning them into something warm and nourishing. As the soup cooked, the house filled with the cozy aroma of sweet vegetables, thyme, and ginger. By lunchtime, it had become the most delicious bowl of creamy soup—perfect for a cool day at home.

Sometimes the best meals aren’t the ones we plan. They’re the ones that come together from what we already have, with a little creativity and a grateful heart.

🍲 Slow Cooker Creamy Carrot, Sweet Potato & Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen butternut squash (about 3–4 cups)

• 1 bag frozen sweet potatoes (about 3–4 cups)

• 2–3 cups frozen carrots

• 1 carton (32 oz) unsalted chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 bay leaf (optional)

• Juice of ½ lemon

Optional for Extra Creaminess

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese

Directions

1. Add the squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, broth, olive oil, thyme, ginger, pepper, and bay leaf to a slow cooker.

2. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.

3. Remove the bay leaf.

4. Blend until smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully blend in batches.

5. Stir in the lemon juice and the Greek yogurt or cottage cheese if using.

6. Add additional broth if needed to reach your desired consistency.

Serve warm with crusty bread or a simple salad.

🙏 Blessing

May we never overlook the simple blessings waiting in our pantry, freezer, and home. May every warm bowl shared around the table bring comfort, gratitude, and peace to those we love. Amen.

💛 Helene

🌿 Rosemary Thyme

Fall in Love with Home Again 🏡

Slow Cooker Couscous Chicken Meatball Soup

Slow Cooker Couscous Chicken Meatball Soup

I cook soups all year round. Since most of my soups are made in the slow cooker, I don’t have to worry about heating up the kitchen, even during the summer months. They’re also one of my favorite ways to add extra vegetables to our meals.

This soup combines tender chicken meatballs, kale, spinach, carrots, celery, and just enough couscous to make it hearty without being heavy. A squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens the entire pot and gives it a fresh garden flavor.

🍲 Slow Cooker Couscous Chicken Meatball Soup

Chicken Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken

• 2 teaspoons dried basil

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Soup:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 2 cartons no-sodium chicken stock (about 8 cups)

• 1½ cups diced carrots

• 1½ cups diced celery

• 4 cups chopped kale

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Add During Last 20–30 Minutes:

• 4 cups chopped spinach

• 4–5 ounces couscous (about ¾ cup dry)

Finish:

• 1–2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine the ground chicken, basil, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, egg, and breadcrumbs. Form into small meatballs.

2. Brown the meatballs lightly in a skillet.

3. Transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker.

4. Add the onion, olive oil, chicken stock, carrots, celery, kale, and pepper.

5. Cook on Low for 4 hours.

6. During the last 20–30 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach and couscous.

7. Continue cooking until the couscous is tender and the spinach is wilted.

8. Stir in the lemon juice just before serving and adjust seasonings to taste.

🌿 Rosemary Thyme Tip:

Fresh lemon juice added at the end brightens the broth and complements the chicken meatballs, herbs, and garden vegetables beautifully.

May your table be filled with simple meals, nourishing ingredients, and the comfort that comes from sharing a warm bowl of soup with those you love. 💛

🌿 Rosemary Thyme

Corn & Butter Bean Chowder

Rosemary Thyme Corn & Butter Bean Chowder 

Tomorrow our son will be out with friends enjoying a new hot chicken restaurant that recently opened nearby. It seems those places are becoming more popular every day, and I’m sure he’ll have a wonderful time.

Meanwhile, here at home, the weather forecast is calling for rain and cooler temperatures.

So instead of a more elaborate Sunday dinner, Dennis and I will be enjoying something simple and comforting: a pot of Rosemary Thyme Corn & Butter Bean Chowder simmering on the stove.

There was a time when Sundays were filled with children’s schedules, busy kitchens, extra chairs around the table, and the wonderful noise of family life.

Now our Sundays are quieter.

And while I sometimes miss those busy years, I’ve also come to appreciate the blessings of this season.

A rainy afternoon.

A warm pot of soup.

A loaf of sourdough bread.

Conversation across the table.

The comfort of being with someone you’ve shared decades of life with.

The table may be smaller these days, but it has lost none of its meaning.

💛 Rosemary Thyme Corn & Butter Bean Chowder

(Creamy • Comforting • Rainy-Day Favorite)

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 (15-ounce) cans Eden Organic No-Salt-Added Butter Beans, drained and rinsed

• 3 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or thawed)

• 4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cup half-and-half

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1️⃣ Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until softened, about 6–8 minutes.

2️⃣ Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

3️⃣ Stir in butter beans, corn, vegetable broth, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and bay leaf.

4️⃣ Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20–25 minutes.

5️⃣ Remove the bay leaf.

6️⃣ Use an immersion blender to partially blend about one-third of the soup for a creamy chowder texture while leaving plenty of beans and corn intact.

7️⃣ Stir in half-and-half and lemon juice. Heat gently without boiling.

8️⃣ Serve with toasted sourdough bread and a sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives if desired.

One of the things I love most about butter beans is how they turn simple pantry ingredients into something that feels nourishing and special. They are creamy, filling, affordable, and one of the reasons I always keep a few cans on the shelf.

Sometimes happiness isn’t found in grand events or special occasions.

Sometimes it’s found in the simple gift of being home while the rain falls outside the window and supper quietly simmers on the stove.

🕊️ May your kitchen be filled with simple meals, peaceful moments, and the quiet comfort of caring for the people you love one plate at a time. 🌿💛

Rosemary Thyme

Summer Crockpot Zucchini

🍅 Rosemary Thyme Summer Crockpot Zucchini Lasagna

(With Grilled Zucchini Planks & Chicken Meat Sauce)

There are some meals that simply feel like home.

Lasagna has always been one of those meals for me — warm, comforting, bubbling from the edges, and filling the kitchen with the smell of herbs, tomato sauce, and melted cheese.

But lately, I’ve been trying to find gentler ways to make some of the foods we already love. Not taking away comfort… just thoughtfully adjusting things little by little.

This summer version uses thin zucchini planks in place of traditional pasta noodles and cooks slowly in the crockpot so the kitchen stays cooler on warm evenings. I lightly salt the zucchini first to draw out extra moisture, then grill the planks in a grill pan before layering everything together.

The sauce itself becomes a rich chicken meat sauce made with lean ground chicken, a little Italian chicken sausage for flavor, herbs, and organic tomato sauce — hearty and comforting while still feeling lighter than a traditional lasagna.

And honestly, it turned out rich, cozy, and deeply satisfying.

This is exactly the kind of cooking I want more of these days:

better choices,

real ingredients,

more vegetables,

more meals at home,

while still preserving the comfort and joy of gathering around the table together.

Because healthy cooking should still feel warm and welcoming.

And honestly, falling in love with home again often begins with simple meals shared with the people we love.

─────────────────────

🍅 Ingredients

• 3–4 medium zucchini

• Olive oil for grilling

🍅 Chicken Meat Sauce

• 1 lb Kirkwood lean ground chicken

• 1–2 Simply Nature organic mild Italian chicken sausage links, casings removed

• About 4 cups Great Value organic tomato sauce

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• Black pepper to taste

🌿 Rosemary Thyme Herb Blend

• 1 tsp powdered rosemary

• 1 tsp powdered thyme

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

🍅 Cheese Layer

• 2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta

• 1 egg

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

🍅 Additional Layers

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

• Optional fresh spinach

─────────────────────

🍅 Instructions

1. Slice zucchini thinly lengthwise into planks resembling lasagna noodles.

2. Lightly salt the zucchini planks and allow them to rest about 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

3. Pat zucchini dry very well with towels.

4. Heat a grill pan on the stove and lightly brush zucchini planks with olive oil.

5. Grill zucchini planks briefly on both sides until lightly softened with grill marks.

6. In a large skillet, brown ground chicken and chicken sausage together until fully cooked.

7. Stir tomato sauce, basil, oregano, smoked paprika, black pepper, and Rosemary Thyme Herb Blend into the cooked meat mixture. Simmer a few minutes until rich and well combined.

8. In a bowl, combine cottage cheese or ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and black pepper.

9. Lightly spray crockpot with oil.

10. Spread a thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom.

11. Layer grilled zucchini planks, cheese mixture, meat sauce, mozzarella, and optional spinach.

12. Repeat layers until ingredients are used, finishing with meat sauce and mozzarella on top.

13. Cook on LOW for about 3–4 hours or until bubbly and set.

14. During the last 30 minutes, place a towel carefully under the crockpot lid to absorb excess condensation if needed.

15. Allow lasagna to rest before slicing and serving.

─────────────────────

🌿 Rosemary Thyme Kitchen Note

Salting and grilling the zucchini planks first helps create a richer lasagna texture and prevents excess moisture during slow cooking.

─────────────────────

💛 A Simple Note from My Kitchen

Cooking at home doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. I build meals around simple basics, seasonal produce, pantry staples, and affordable grocery finds — then let herbs and a finishing touch make it feel special.

─────────────────────

🙏 Blessing

May your kitchen always remain a place where simple ingredients become comforting meals and everyday moments become treasured memories.

Tomato Basil Bread

🍅🌿 Rosemary Thyme Cozy Tomato Basil Bread (Cast-Iron • No Yeast)

There’s a tomato basil bread we’ve always loved from Panera Bread—soft, flavorful, with just the slightest touch of sweetness on top.

This is my cozy, homemade version… made right in a cast-iron pan, no yeast, simple ingredients, and full of warm herb flavor. It’s become one of those breads that feels just right alongside a bowl of soup or a simple salad.

─────────────────────

🧺 Ingredients

* 1½ cups all-purpose flour (or half whole wheat)

* 1½ tsp baking powder

* ½ tsp baking soda

* ½ tsp salt (or ¾ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt)

* ½ tsp garlic powder

* ½ tsp onion powder

* ½ tsp smoked paprika

* 1 tsp dried basil (or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped)

* ¾ cup milk (or buttermilk)

* 1 large egg

* 2 tbsp olive oil

* ½ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes (or well-drained diced tomatoes)

Optional:

* ¼ cup grated Parmesan

* 1 tbsp honey (for balance in the batter)

─────────────────────

🍞 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place your cast-iron loaf pan in the oven to warm slightly.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and seasonings.

3. In another bowl, whisk milk, egg, olive oil, and tomatoes.

4. Gently combine wet and dry ingredients just until mixed—do not overmix.

5. Fold in basil and Parmesan if using.

6. Carefully remove warm pan, lightly oil or line with parchment, and add batter.

7. For that bakery-style finish:

    Lightly brush the top with milk or beaten egg, then sprinkle with 1–2 teaspoons sugar.

8. Bake 35–40 minutes, until golden and set in the center.

9. Optional cozy finish:

    While warm, lightly brush the top with a mixture of 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon warm water.

10. Let rest 10–15 minutes before slicing.

─────────────────────

🌿 Rosemary Thyme Kitchen Notes

• This is a soft, tender quick bread—more like a savory loaf than a chewy bakery bread

• The light sweet topping balances the tomato and herbs beautifully

• Sun-dried tomatoes give the richest flavor

• Try a tiny finishing pinch of fleur de sel on a warm slice for a lovely contrast

─────────────────────

🥗 Serving Ideas

Serve warm with:

• Soup night (especially tomato or vegetable)

• A simple salad with vinaigrette

• Or lightly toasted with butter the next morning

─────────────────────

💛 A Simple Note from My Kitchen

Cooking at home doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. I build meals around simple basics, seasonal produce, and pantry staples—then let herbs and a finishing touch make it feel special.

─────────────────────

🙏 Blessing

May your kitchen be filled with simple comforts, warm bread, and the quiet joy of caring for those you love.