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Pizza pasta salad

An interesting twist on pasta salad that actually tastes like pizza, minus the crust of course. This is another great recipe found on Inside BruCrew Life. It's a perfect, light summer salad when you don't want to cook a hot meal. I think the pasta is best served slightly warm, but not hot. For leftovers, I placed it in the microwave for 20 seconds and added a bit more oil and vinegar. It really brought the dish back to life from being in a fridge. Serves at least eight.

Pizza Pasta Salad
adapted from Inside BruCrew Life found in All You Magazine

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. pasta (shells, bowties, or penne)

1/4 c. olive oil
1/3 c. rice vinegar
1/3 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 c. artichoke hearts, chopped

1 small green pepper, diced

8 oz. small fresh mozzarella nuggets, halved
4 oz. diced turkey pepperoni, halved
1/2 c. shredded fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese to taste

DIRECTIONS
Boil water and cook pasta until al dente, approximately 8 min. Drain and cool. Place pasta in large bowl and stir in oil and vinegar. Add remaining ingredients. Toss well and season with salt and pepper. Finish with fresh parmesan cheese.

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Bacon-spinach mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are good without added ingredients, but I like to change things up once in awhile. It's a nice way to get my husband to eat spinach also. He likes it but not by itself. I used turkey bacon instead of regular bacon, but when I make this again, I'll use regular bacon (or peppered bacon). I think it needs the flavor. If you're watching your bacon intake though, turkey bacon will be a fine substitute. You can also replace the heavy cream for half n half. Makes approx. five cups.

Bacon Spinach Mashed Potatoes
adapted from Cuisine at Home Magazine
INGREDIENTS
6 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced (or turkey bacon)
2 lb. russet potatoes cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
(if you don't like potato skins on, peel before cutting)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 bunch (or bag) fresh spinach, rinsed well, stems removed
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
fresh black pepper and salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Saute bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Boil potatoes and garlic in a large pot of salted water until tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Just before draining, stir in spinach to wilt. Drain potatoes, garlic and spinach; return to pot and cook over low heat 1—2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture, stirring constantly.
Add cream, butter and bacon; coarsely crush potatoes with a masher. Season with salt and black pepper.

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

Charred corn salad

For our July 4th get together, I brought two sides, one being this corn salad, served with corn chips. I've posted another corn salsa recipe before, but this one is very different. The corn salad has a nice smoky flavor from the chipotles in abodo sauce (can be found in the Hispanic section at the market). The sweetness of the honey and orange juice balance out the spice and grilled vegetables. It also contains jicama which really adds depth of flavor. If you're not familiar with a jicama, it's a root vegetable that is crispy and slightly sweet. It's sometimes mistaken for a potato and really easy to prepare. I've had this recipe for several years, and I'm not completely sure where it came from, possibly a Williams-Sonoma catalog but I'm not positive. It makes 8-10 servings.

Charred Corn Salad

adapted from Williams-Sonoma catalog (possibly)

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 tsp. diced chipotle chili plus 1 tbsp. adobo sauce

2 tsp. salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. honey

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil

6 ears of corn

3/4 cup jicama

1/3 cup red onion

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together lime juice, orange juice, chili and abodo sauce, 1 tsp. salt, garlic, honey and 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth. Set aside.
Prepare hot fire in grill or preheat grill pan.

Peel the brown outer layer skin of the jicama and cut into 1/2 inch slices for grilling. Slice red onion for grilling.

Rub corn, jicama and onion with 2 tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Grill for 10-15 minutes.

Turn oven broiler on, cut cherry tomatoes in half and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh black pepper. Cook cherry tomatoes for approx. 10 minutes under broiler, checking often. Remove from oven.
When corn is cooled, remove kernels. Dice jicama and red onion. In large bowl add kernels, beans, cilantro, tomatoes, jicama, onion and vinaigrette. Stir until well combined. Serve at room temperature with chips or by itself.

I linked up:
Tempt us Tuesdays at Inside BruCrew Life

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

Grilled corn on the cob

Grilled corn is an easy addition to your summer barbecue. There's just something so right about getting locally grown corn from a farmer's market during summer and cooking it up on the grill. I like to make several corn ears and have plenty for leftovers. You can also use the grilled corn in other recipes such as corn salsa with lime. It will add a nice smoky flavor to the dish.

Grilled Corn on the Cob
INGREDIENTS
Ears of corn (as many as you want to make)
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Chili powder or paprika

DIRECTIONS
Peel back the corn husks, leaving them attached at the base of the ear. (same as pic above) Remove and discard the silk. Pull the husks back over the corn. Place the ears in a large bowl or pot. Cover with cold water and let soak for 10 minutes.
Preheat grill to high; lightly oil the grates. Drain the corn. Arrange the ears of corn on the grill. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, using tongs, until the husks are charred and the corn is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove ears of corn from the grill. Holding the bottom of each hot ear with a towel, peel back the husks and with a knife, coat the kernels with butter. Season with salt, pepper and chili powder or paprika. Serve immediately.
Directions from Great Food Fast.

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Corn salsa with lime

Since the recipe is called corn salsa, you might think to pair it with chips. Originally we ate this as a side. After a few days we started eating it with chips. Sides for us are often a standard vegetable I know Jake will eat. I thought I'd change things up a bit and make this corncoction (see what I did there). If you want to use it for a chip dip I suggest serving it cold. But as a side, it tastes fantastic warmed up. It makes at least six cups of goodness. Next time, I'll cut the recipe in half - it was a bit too much for the two of us. I think it would make a good chip dip to take to a party. I even have the Weight Watchers points below for my WW friends!

Corn Salsa with Lime
INGREDIENTS
4 cups cooked sweet yellow corn (I used frozen)
2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 scallion, diced
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and vein removed, diced
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 fresh squeezed lime
chipotle chili powder, to taste
salt and fresh pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate for about an hour — unless you are serving as a side, keep warm.

Source: G ina's WW Recipes
Servings:6
Serving Size: approx. 1 cup
Calories: 104
WW Points: 1.25

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

The big salad

What's in the big salad you ask? Big lettuce, big carrots, tomatoes like volleyballs. Ahh a classic Seinfeld episode — The Big Salad. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

I haven't blogged about food in awhile so I thought this would be a nice way to start the week. As the weather gets warmer, I like to eat lighter, eat more fresh vegetables and take advantage of the local farmer's market. (The market hasn't started up yet, but I am really looking forward to when it does).
Your first thought might be, who needs a recipe for salad? Oftentimes, I stick with the standard spinach, tomato, cucumber, celery and dressing route. I wanted to change things up a bit. The addition of blackened chicken is really what I liked. It didn't turn out like the spicy blackened chicken I think of from a restaurant, but it has a nice flavor and goes really well with the rest of the ingredients. Plus you make your own croutons! They taste much better than the packaged kind and really doesn't take much effort to make.
I want to start experimenting with making my own salad dressings. I do the olive oil, balsamic mixture sometimes, but I want to try the classic ranch dressing. It's always been my favorite. As an adult though, I just don't like all the additives in it. I'll post a dressing recipe when I find or create one I like.

Blackened Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sourdough or French bread, cubed
non-stick cooking spray
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and torn
2 cups romaine lettuce, rinsed and torn
2 cups zucchini, cubed
2 cups cucumber, seeded and cubed
1/2 cup green onions, sliced with tops
1 medium tomato, cubed

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375. To make croutons, spray bread cubes lightly with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
Combine paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, white pepper, red pepper and black pepper in a small bowl; rub on all surfaces of chicken.
Broil chicken 6 inches from heat source, 7-8 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Cool slightly, cut into thin strips.
Combine warm chicken with greens, zucchini, cucumber, green onions, tomato and croutons in a large bowl. Drizzle with your choice of dressing; toss to coat. And now you have yourself a big salad. Serves four.

Adapted from All-new Light Cooking book

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

Hot potato salad

I wasn't sure what to expect from this recipe. When I see potato salad I think of potatoes covered in mayo and mustard and that's not my favorite thing. Come to think of it, I don't really like potato salad. When I read through the ingredients and found cream cheese and no mayo, I wanted to give this a try. It reminds me of a dish created around the holidays. Next time, I'll either add more potatoes or use just one block of cream cheese. (I adjusted this in the listed ingredients.) It was very creamy, as you can see from the before pic below. The addition of fresh herbs makes it very flavorful and the bread crumbs gives it a nice crunch which balances well with the creaminess. Serves six.

Hot Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CASSEROLE

2 lb. baby red potatoes, quartered
1 package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 cup cheddar, shredded
2 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh dill, minced
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
FOR THE TOPPING
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. paprika

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425. Coat a 2-qt. casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water oven high heat until fork tender, 12 to 15 minutes; drain and set aside.

Combine cream cheese and buttermilk in a large bowl until blended. Stir in cheddar, chives, 1 tbsp. parsley, dill and cayenne; season to taste.

Stir hot potatoes into cream cheese mixture until well coated; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, 1 tbsp. parsley and paprika in a small bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle topping over potato salad.

Bake until potatoes are completely soft and topping is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Adapted from Cuisine at home, Issue No.80 April 2010

Transfer potato mixture to prepared baking dish

Sprinkle topping over potato salad

Out of the oven

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Creamy spinach & penne pasta

Spinach is another vegetable I can't get enough of. At work this week, I've ate TBST sandwiches — turkey bacon, spinach and tomato — and spinach salads with balsamic dressing. It has such a distinct, wonderful flavor and it's known as a "power" food loaded with essential nutrients such as vitamin A, C, E and K. I often use spinach instead of lettuce in any meal or sandwich. Actually, I can't remember the last time I bought a head of lettuce. Another healthy switch is whole-wheat pasta. It has has three to five times more fiber than white pasta which is good for the heart and digestion. So all in all, a good meal right here. It can be used as the main course or as a side. The nutritional information is listed below.

Creamy Spinach and Penne Pasta
INGREDIENTS
8 oz dry whole-wheat penne pasta
1 bunch fresh spinach
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

2 tsp. minced lemon zest

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil add the penne. Cook pasta according to package directions.

Drain pasta over a colander filled with the fresh spinach.

Transfer drained pasta and spinach back to pot. Set heat to low and cover until spinach is cooked. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

Stir in ricotta, parmesan, zest, salt and pepper; garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.

Rinsing spinach throughly is recommended. There is dirt that collects on the underside of the leaves; mainly when buying fresh spinach by the bunch. I also snap the stems off of the leaves and discard.

After draining pasta over a colander filled with spinach, return to pan on low heat, and cover until spinach is cooked.

Makes 4 servings (8 cups)

Per serving:

357 calories

11 total fat (4g sat, 3g mono, 4g poly)

24mg chol

598mg sodium

48g carb (8 fiber, 1g sugar)

20g protein

3mg iron

332mg calcium

Source: Cuisine Lite

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

Chicken strips and fries

When you don't have a lot of time to make a meal, this is a good option. Your prep time is only 10 minutes and the rest is done in the oven. I could make the coating for the chicken, but that would require extra time. Plus who doesn't like some shake 'n bake chicken every now and then. This recipe makes four servings.

Oven-fried Chicken Strips and Fries
INGREDIENTS

FOR THE POTATOES

2 large baking potatoes, unpeeled
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 package of Shake and Bake Original Chicken coating mix
FOR THE DIPPING

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1 tbsp. honey

DIRECTIONS

HEAT oven to 425°F.
CUT potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick strips; place in large bowl. Add dressing and cheese; toss to coat. Spread onto large baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 12 min. Meanwhile, coat chicken with coating mix as directed on package.
TURN potatoes over. Add chicken to baking sheet. Bake 15 min. or until potatoes are tender and chicken is done. Mix mustard and honey. Serve as a dipping sauce with chicken.

Source: Kraft Recipes

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Anonymous |

Spanish rice

This recipe comes from a blog I frequent often, Simply Recipes. When I'm looking for a specific recipe, I usually find one there. I paired this with some chicken enchiladas. (I'll be posting that recipe tomorrow). I'm not a fan of processed spanish rice or flavored rice packages. They contain a high amount of sodium and I can't bring myself to make the purchase. I prefer to make my own so I can control the sodium level and I know what's in it. I try not to buy grocery items that are over 400 mg of sodium per serving. The Mayo Clinic suggests a daily intake of 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams per day. I try to stay at the low-end of that.

Spanish Rice
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine

1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable)
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 medium tomato, diced, seeds/membrane removed

pinch of oregano

1/2 tsp. salt
*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, brown rice in olive oil on medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic; stirring frequently about four minutes, or until onions are softened.

In a separate sauce pan, bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano and salt. Add broth to rice. Bring to a simmer. Cover; lower heat and cook 15–25 minutes, depending on the type of rice you are using. Turn off heat and let sit for five minutes.

Serves 4 to 6

Source: Adapted from: Simply Recipes

Read More 0 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Graphic designer, baker and a photo taker. Inspired by Jesus, photography, stellar design, all things creative, cooking, the arts and funny stuff. I prefer to visually tell stories through photographs; whether a trip I was on, a dessert I made or a recent vintage find. Art is all around me, and I capture it whenever I can.

Pizza pasta salad

Bacon-spinach mashed potatoes

Charred corn salad

Grilled corn on the cob

Corn salsa with lime

The big salad

Hot potato salad

Creamy spinach & penne pasta

Chicken strips and fries

Spanish rice

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