PASTA SALAD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

I love holiday weekends in the summer! Having my husband home one extra day during the week with me and the kids is the best. He hit the grill and I made this awesome pasta salad. In our case it served 3 and I guess 1/4 with the baby. It is my new favorite!

Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Serves 6

1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced
1 teaspoon capers, drained
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

NOTE: I altered a few things in the dressing recipe: 4 Tablespoons of olive oil instead of 6, no capers, and used parsley instead of basil. A sneaky little bunny has found his way into my garden and ate all my basil...not happy!

Cook the pasta:

Boil water and cook the pasta according to directions. Cook al dente, 1 minute less than the directions on the package. Drain well. Place the pasta in a big serving bowl.

Add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Make the dressing:
In a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper.

Mix until smooth.

Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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BEEF TACOS

It never fails, we have taco night once per week. It it so quick, easy and a crowd pleaser. However, some of the ingredients in the easy store-bought packets are a little mysterious to me. So I found this great recipe and I premix the spices then keep them in a baggie in the pantry; so that way I am ready to go when I am short on time but still want a home cooked meal.

Beef Tacos
Adapted From The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
Serves 4

Beef Filling:
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
3 medium garlic cloves, about 1 Tablespoon
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pound 90% lean ground beef
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
ground black pepper

Shells and Toppings:
8 taco Shells
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes

Other Topping Ideas:
Diced avocado
Chopped onion
Sour cream
Black beans
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic...

and spices...

stir and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef, break up the meat into small pieces and cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Keep skillet uncovered and stir frequently to break up the meat completely. Simmer until the liquid has reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Season as needed with salt and pepper. Serve into taco shells, garnish with toppings and serve immediately.

These would be great with Homemade Flour Tortillas.

So happy summer is here...



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WATERMELON POPS- CLEAN EATING

Finally summer is here and we are spending every second we can outside playing. With all this hot weather I am noticing my icy pop supply is depleting quickly. My daughter is constantly running around with an artifically colored mouth and asking for more frozen treats. I found a great healthy alternative to the sugar-loaded store-bought frozen treats over at hungryhousewife.com .

Watermelon Pops- Clean Eating

1 watermelon (overly ripe, seedless and sweet)
cookie cutter
popsicle sticks

Slice half the watermelon in 1/2 inch slices. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Insert a Popsicle stick or a wooden skewer into the shapes. Freeze the shapes on a baking sheet for a few hours. Use the other 1/2 of the watermelon as a holder for the watermelon pops.

When watermelon is frozen the texture is like a Popsicle, it doesn't freeze all the way.



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SMOTHERED ONION SAUCE

I love caramelized onions so I knew this sauce was something I had to make. It is so sweet and delicious. It is also very dense so when I say toss the sauce with the pasta, I mean it. I had to stir it quite a bit to get all the pasta covered. If you love onions you will love this sauce. If you use homemade pasta (which is more absorbent than store bought) Marcella suggests using 1 Tablespoon more butter when starting the sauce.

Smothered Onion Sauce
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
Serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds onions, about 6 cups or 3-4 medium onions
salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 to 1 1/2 pounds pasta

Slice the onions thinly.

Put butter, onion and salt in a large skillet. Cover and turn on the lowest heat setting. Cook for almost an hour, until the onions become very soft.

Uncover, and increase heat to medium-high and cook onions until they become a deep, dark gold color (this took about 20 minutes on my stove), stirring occasionally and until all the liquid has boiled away.

Season with pepper. Taste and add salt if needed. Add wine, increase heat, and stir continuously while wine evaporates. Add parsley and stir.

Toss with cooked and drained pasta. Add Parmesan. Serve immediately.

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BARBEQUE PULLED PORK SANDWICH

Today was spring cleaning for the outside of the house...picking weeds, putting down wood chips, gardening, raking, etc. After all the hard work, the best part was coming inside to the smell of barbeque pork.

This is a great weekend recipe. I know, I think that about any slow cooker recipe...but it's true! Your whole house smells awesome and you have access to warm delicious food all day long...nothing better!

I am taking a blogging vacation for a week but I will be back with hopefully some new and inspiring recipes for you!

Barbeque Pulled Pork Sandwich
Adapted from Baking Bites
Serves 10-12

5-6 lb. pork shoulder/pork butt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup tomato paste
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 Tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 cup water

Place onion on the bottom of your slow cooker. Place pork shoulder, trimmed of any obvious excess fat, into slow cooker on top of onions. (I have to be honest, I usually use boneless pork sirloin...I know it has "less flavor" and is suppose to be tougher but I always think it tastes great and with all the BBQ sauce its hard to dry out...just don't overcook. When I look at the pork shoulders in the market and I see all that fat, I have a really hard time making the purchase!)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients to form the barbecue sauce. Pour half of the sauce over the pork and cover. Set remaining sauce aside.

Cook over low heat for about 8 hours (or according to your slow cooker’s presets, mine happens to run a little hot and it was ready in 5 hours).
Remove pork to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Transfer meat back into slow cooker and cook for a few more minutes, until meat has soaked up the sauce.

Pulled pork can be held on the “warm” setting in the slow cooker for serving.
Serve on soft sandwich rolls (I like mine toasted)

and topped with extra barbecue sauce.


Perfect end to the perfect day...


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PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS

I am so happy, the garden is tilled and all my vegetables are planted. Well, almost all...I still need to put in zucchini and coriander. I had to plant early this year and I am crossing my fingers that we won't have a late frost.

Here is a perfect easy pasta recipe for the abundance of spring asparaagus.

Penne with Asparagus
Adapted loosely from Food Network's Pasta with Asparagus

3/4 pound penne
6 garlic cloves, minced or through garlic press
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a large covered pot, boil water for the pasta. Once water is boiling, add penne and cook al dente...one minute less than recommended time.
In a large skillet add oil and butter on medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add asparagus and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat. Add Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.


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GARLIC SAUTEED SPINACH

I am so often faced with a bag of produce waiting to be used in my fridge. Something I thought I wanted when I was in the store and then the days start to pass, my tastes change and there it sits. I guess that happens when you are an unorganized shopper and shop without a list or recipes.
I finally gave up on my spinach salad and decided on this recipe. It was super easy and would be a great side to anything...steak, chicken, fish, etc.

Garlic Sauteed Spinach
Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Serves 4

1 pound baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped garlic (4 cloves)
pinch of kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Lemon
1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, optional
Sea salt, optional


Note: I made a few changes from the original recipe. Most importantly don't over salt. Make sure you use sea salt or kosher salt which is less "salty" than regular table salt. You can always add more salt at the end if needed.

Rinse the spinach well in cold water to make sure it's very clean. Spin it dry in a salad spinner, leaving just a little water clinging to the leaves.

In a very large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, but not until it's browned.

Add all the spinach, the salt, and pepper to the pot, toss it with the garlic and oil.

Cover the pot, and cook it for 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, turn the heat on high, and cook the spinach for another minute, stirring with a wooden spoon, until all the spinach is wilted. Using a slotted spoon, lift the spinach to a serving bowl and top with the butter, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkling of sea or kosher salt. Serve hot.

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PITA BREAD

There is nothing better than fresh baked pita bread! I had a hard time getting pictures taken because as fast as I pulled them out of the oven they disappeared!

Pita Bread
Adapted from The Bread Bible, by Rose Levy Berenbaum, via here and here
Makes 8 to 12 pitas

16 ounces (3 cups plus a scant 1/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups (10.4 ounces) water at room temperature

Mix all the ingredients on low in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment until combined, then switch to the dough hook and knead on medium for 7 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth and the sides of the mixing bowl are clean. Add more water or flour if needed.

Place the dough in a bowl, greased with oil or cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge overnight or up to 3 days. Punch down if it starts to rise during the first 4 hours.

Two hours before shaping take the dough out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

The dough will start to rise to about double the size.

One hour before baking, put a cast iron skillet, baking stone, or baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

Cut the dough into 8 or 12 pieces. Cover the pieces and work one piece at a time. Shape into a ball and then pat into a disk shape. Cover w/ oiled plastic to rest for 20 min. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough 1/4" thick and allow to rest uncovered for 10 min.

Quickly place 1 piece of dough directly on the preheated baking stone, skillet, or baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes. The pita should be completely puffed, but not beginning to brown. The dough will not puff well if it is not moist enough. If necessary, spray each remaining piece with water and allow to rest 2 to 3 minutes before baking.

Between batches, allow the oven to reheat for 5 minutes. The pitas can be reheated for about 30 seconds in a hot oven before serving.


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BLACKBERRY CASSIS SAUCE

I have a new love...Crème de cassis. It is a blood-red, sweet, blackcurrant flavored liquor. I still love my Chambord and especially the Raspberry Chambord Sauce but this is a great alternative. This would be wonderful on a variety of desserts: cake, ice cream, brownies, cupcakes, waffles, pancakes...you name it!

I was reading about how blackberries have one of the highest fiber content known to plants. It is an aggregate fruit...meaning each little drupelet on the blackberry is like one small berry with one seed surrounded by extra skin and pectin resulting in the high fiber. Yes, I am trying to convince myself this sauce is healthy! ;)

Blackberry Cassis Sauce
10 ounces frozen or fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 oz Cream de Cassis

Make the Blackberry Cassis Sauce:
In a pan, mix the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice on medium high heat.

Once bubbling, reduce to a simmer, stirring continuously and pressing on the berries to help breakdown for about 10 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take off heat and cool for 5 minutes. Add the Crème de cassis and cool to room temperature. Store in fridge. Makes about 2 cups of sauce. Keep refrigerated for up to a week or freeze for up to 4 months. Tastes best when cold.

I prefer my dessert sauces more "rustic" with seeds and pieces of fruit but I know some people don't, so if you want to remove the seeds from the sauce do so after it has cooled and before you add the Crème de cassis. Use a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and push the sauce through to remove the seeds.

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SPICED PASTRIES

My daughter and I made these for breakfast today...real healthy, I know but some days we endulge. They are super easy and quick to make. They don't even come close in taste compared to these but they also dont take hours/days to make! Would be perfect for Mother's Day brunch.

SPICED PASTRIES
Adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 34
Serves 8

1/2 cup (110g) white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 3/4 cups (260g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup (70g) pitted and chopped dates
1/2 cup (125ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
3 Tablespoons butter

Note: I made these without the dates. I think these would also taste good with dried cranberries or raisins.

Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F). Combine the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. Place the flour, baking powder and dates in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the center, gradually add the cream and milk, stirring, until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Roll out to a 12 x 14 inch rectangle.

Brush with butter and sprinkle with the sugar mixture, reserving 1 tablespoon.

Roll the dough (short end to short end) and slice into 8 pieces.

Place the dough rolls into individual muffin tins sprayed with non-stick spray. Brush the top of rolls with butter and sprinkle with reserved sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked and lightly golden.

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ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES- CLEAN EATING

I love potatoes...I mean LOVE: new, russets, reds, fingerlings, yukon, you name it, I love it. And I love every possible way to make a potato: roasted, baked, mashed, smashed, whipped, grilled, fried, etc. So when my sister came to visit me last month she introduced me to the sweet potato. It's not that I don't know what a sweet potato is, it's just that my only experience is negative (it involves butter and small marshmallows...which in my opinion is just plain wrong and should only be in a rice krispies recipe!) Anyway, my sister made these roasted sweet potato wedges and I was pleasantly surprised to find them strangely addicting.

Sorry, these pictures are of the second baking pan I did and being a mother came in the way of being a cook; therefore, they are a little over-baked...still tasted delicious!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes Wedges- Clean Eating
Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 sweet potatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
parsley (optional)
dash red pepper (optional)

Note: I have also used Weber's Veggie Grill Seasoning (one of my favorite all-purpose seasonings)in place of the seasonings listed above.

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges.

Space the wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings.

Roast in middle of oven for 20 minutes. Turn wedges over with a spatula and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes more until tender, golden and slightly caramelized.

Note: Sweet potatoes are not as crisp as regular potatoes when roasted, they are soft and will be more caramelized.



Guess who moved into my back yard...


a big fat ground hog.

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