Italian Pasta Salad

Over the summer I set out to develop a pasta salad recipe that included some of my oldest daughter's and my favorite flavors. I wanted it to be cold, fairly light, and filling enough to be a meal on its own. I ended up serving this alongside a rotisserie chicken for the family. It was really convenient having the leftovers ready and waiting in the fridge over the next couple of days!

Italian Pasta Salad

8 ounces pasta (macaroni, penne or rotini would work well), cooked al dente and  set aside to cool
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
3 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed into bite-sized pieces

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, ricotta, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Stir in the herbs and spinach. Fold in the cooled pasta, then the tomatoes and mozzarella. Allow to chill in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving.

Triple Cheese Macaroni

My kids have all at one time or another loved and hated macaroni and cheese, whether boxed or homemade. After years of experimentation, I have finally hit on a recipe/method that pushes all the right buttons for the whole family. The Boy still doesn't like mac and cheese in general, but he'll eat this with minimal fuss. Be sure to shred your own cheese, as it will melt much better than the pre-shredded kind!

Triple Cheese Macaroni

16 ounces dry macaroni noodles
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, cook the noodles according to the package directions. In the meantime, melt two tablespoons of butter in a small skillet. Sprinkle in the flour, cayenne and garlic powder, plus pepper to your liking. Cook for one minute, whisking to combine. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer and allow the mixture to thicken. Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and whisk in the cheddar and Swiss. Taste and add salt if it's needed. When the pasta is cooked al dente, pour into a colander to drain and return the empty pot to the stove. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter; toss the pasta in to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, black pepper and a touch of salt. Stir well; top with cheese sauce and stir again. Serve! Yield: 8-10 servings

Kickin' Creamed Corn

My favorite way to eat corn has to be fresh corn on the cob with butter, salt and pepper. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it! But I do like to change things up now and then, and Saturday night I decided to make a corn casserole for a party we were having. Last summer I tried one a friend had made and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd recreate it - adding my own twist, naturally. If I'm remembering correctly, hers called for a can of diced green chilies, which you could certainly use instead of the jalapeño if you don't want quite so much kick.


Kickin' Creamed Corn
3 cans whole kernel corn (you can use fresh-off-the-cob, frozen, whatever)
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions
1 jalapeño, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cream cheese, cilantro, onions, jalapeño, salt and pepper. Stir in corn. Transfer to a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.

Baked Potato Casserole

I've seen lots of different versions of this, but when I made it this time I didn't bother to use a recipe. I just tossed things together until they looked good! Apparently it worked because our folks cleaned out the pans and I got lots of positive feedback! I'm giving you the recipe as I made it, but of course you can cut it in half for a more reasonable amount.

Baked Potato Casserole

3 pounds red potatoes
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled - reserve 1/4 cup drippings
3 green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
salt and pepper

Bake the potatoes until tender. (I just scrub them and pop them in the oven. They took about an hour at 400°.)

When the potatoes are cool enough to work with, cube them into bite-size pieces and divided them between two 9 x 13 pans. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, onions, bacon, and cheese. Pour on the butter, bacon grease, and sour cream (divide it between the two pans). Carefully stir the potatoes until well coated. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes. I served them with more sour cream on the side for those that wanted it.

If you want to make this dish in shifts, you can bake the potatoes the day before and store them in the fridge whole. I wouldn't keep them longer than 24 hours like that, though, as the texture will not be as good.

Picnic Supper

For our college people last night I made a pretty traditional picnic meal, and it was easy as pie!

Hotdogs - I like turkey hotdogs, and I ate mine wrapped in a slice of cheese and dipped in a mix of ketchup and mustard - no bun. I don't have a grill, so I boil the hotdogs in a small amount of water in a large skillet. When they're nice and plump I drain off the water and add a touch of canola oil to the skillet. I sauté them until they're crispy.

The slow-cooked macaroni and cheese recipe is my standard for a crowd.

I used Alton Brown's method of "hard-boiled" eggs for these - baked in the oven! The only change I'd make is to cook them for less time. The recipe says 30 minutes, I took mine out at 28, and I could have probably done 25 instead. For the filling, I mix the yolks with a touch of Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Bonus tip for peeling eggs - the large end of the egg usually contains water, so crack that first, allowing the water to drain down into the egg, loosening the shell. After creating a small opening there, I use a small spoon to slide the shell right off! I can typically do it in two pieces. It's a fun challenge for someone who is easily amused.

Dessert was my mom's "Secret Recipe" Chocolate Chip Cookies. The quotes are because the recipe is available in my cookbook, and isn't a secret anymore! But for years people asked my mom for the secret to why her cookies were so tender and delicious - now you can know!

Apple-Spinach Salad

I really wish I liked vegetables  more than I do. The idea of a lovely salad with all kinds of veggies is really visually appealing to me, but ... I don't like veggies. So I just eat what I like and if I'm not as thin as I could be at least I get to eat bacon any time I want. It's a comforting thought.

I think of salad in the category of "non-recipes". You pretty much just throw together what looks good and then eat it! That's what I did with this salad. Here's the ingredient list:

Spinach
Chopped apple (Honeycrisp)
Toasted pecans
Crumbled bacon
Goat cheese crumbles
Poppy seed dressing

I made my own dressing by combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt and pepper in a tiny plastic container and shaking it up. Once when I made this I forgot the honey and man, was the dressing tart! I won't forget again, that's for sure.

One thing I like about this salad is that I could eat it for lunch and it was hearty enough to keep me satisfied. I don't like salads that make me feel like I didn't even eat anything!

I'll leave you with this profound thought for the day:

Those who say that nothing tastes as good as thin feels have never had bacon.

Broccoli Rice Casserole

A general rule of thumb to go by when feeding my family is that, with very few exceptions, there must be at least one dissenter to the enjoyment of each item at the table. I've related this weird family quirk to y'all before, and it hasn't changed! I knew when I chose to make Broccoli Rice Casserole (for the first time, I might add!) some of my family wouldn't appreciate it. Out of the six of us - our family plus a good friend - this side dish received 3 thumbs up, one thumb sideways, and 2 thumbs down. I also made Fried Chicken Fingers, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, and Sweet and Spicy Carrots (in the cookbook).

Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 small head broccoli, trimmed and finely chopped
1 cup dry rice, prepare according to package directions
6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 (10-3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
12 butter-flavor crackers (I use Club), crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

In medium-sized bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add in rice; mix well. Pour into a greased 9 inch square baking dish. Combine the cracker crumbs and butter, then sprinkle over the broccoli-rice mixture. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until crackers are golden-brown and casserole is bubbly.

Tip: Any time I need a smallish amount of crumb topping like this, I use this method: Place crackers in a small zip-top bag. Crush the crackers with the back of a spoon, a measuring cup, whatever's handy. Then pour the melted butter directly into the bag, smushing it all around to coat the crumbs evenly. Then pour the crumbs out over the casserole!

Quinoa Cakes

One of my favorite pasttimes is perusing cookbooks and scouring the internet for new recipes. Often I find recipes that with just a little tweaking make it into my regular rotation. I first encountered quinoa (KEEN-wah or KIN-wah) when researching recipes for my diabetic father-in-law. Quinoa is a type of grain, though more a seed, that is packed with nutrition: it's high in protein, lysine, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and iron. It's also gluten-free. One serving contains 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. It's prepared much the same way as rice - one cup of quinoa to two cups of water - and the texture is similar to brown rice.

I found two quinoa recipes I wanted to try that are pretty similar and sounded delicious! In planning to prepare them, I combined elements from both to come up with my own creation. Served with a salad, they'd make a healthful, filling lunch. I usually use a combination of finely diced broccoli, spinach, peppers, shredded zucchini or whatever I'm in the mood for to equal about a cup. I stir that into the mixture to boost the nutrition level.

Quinoa Cakes

2 cups prepared quinoa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons diced green onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt (adjust to suit taste)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the quinoa mixture into the hot skillet, pressing down to form patties. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce if desired.

Dipping Sauce - I use this whenever I need a savory dip!

Sunday Night Review 10/2

Last night the menu was BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Twice-Baked Potato Casserole, and Strawberry-Limeade Punch. The chicken was just a mix of light and dark meat mixed with Spicy Honey barbecue sauce and cooked in the slow cooker for several hours.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole 

5 lb russet potatoes 
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 
1 cup sour cream
1 green onion, chopped
1-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into chunks. Place in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; return to pan.

Mash the potatoes in pan until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream, and stir until combined and smooth. Add the green onion, 1 cup cheddar cheese, half the bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir until well combined.

Transfer to a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; garnish with remaining bacon. Serve immediately.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

Dinner tonight is a sure crowd-pleaser! Everyone in the family will eat Joe's Sloppy Joes - what a blessing! Tonight they're made with ground turkey and a bit of barbecue sauce. On the side, I'm serving Seasoned Potato Wedges, which our Oldest Girl will certainly not be eating. Well, other than the one little one she has to eat in order to score dessert! But trust me when I say that unless you hate potatoes, you'll adore these scrumptious wedges.

Seasoned Potato Wedges

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1 teaspoon paprika 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 large baking potatoes (about 2-3/4 pounds) 
1 cup milk 
1/4 cup butter, divided

In a resealable sandwich bag, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, paprika, salt and pepper. Cut each potato into eight wedges; dip in milk. Place in the bag, a few at a time, and shake to coat. Place on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes. Turn wedges; drizzle with remaining butter. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

We dip them in ketchup and sometimes the kids use ranch.

Women Walking Worthy - July Meeting

I mentioned the other day that I signed up to provide food for the July meeting of WWW. Well, I had 5 young women from the college ministry to help me and we had a lot of fun! Monday, Katie came over and helped me prepare some things ahead of time. Tuesday, Kim came early and helped me at home, then went with me to the church. Hope, Pam, and Tiffany met us there and helped with all the last-minute things. Naturally, I forgot to take my camera for pictures, but here was our menu:

Sliders - With cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, ketchup and mustard to go on them! I thought the onion was a bit strong, so I'd go lighter on that next time.

Corndogs - We used this recipe, but I found the batter too thin. I made the classic mistake of adding all of the liquid called for instead of holding some back just in case! You can always add liquid to batter, but you can't take it out. (And, no, I didn't have flour there to thicken it.) Otherwise, fabulous recipe!

Bacon Potato Salad - I modified the recipe slightly by using 2 green onions instead of a cup of white onion, apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar, and Dijon mustard in place of the yellow.

Fruit Flower Garden - Watermelon, kiwi, pineapple, blackberries, grapes, strawberries. We fashioned some of the fruits into flower/butterfly shapes, and placed them in a pretty platter lined with green leaf lettuce and parsley.

Lemon Cream Dip - This couldn't be easier! Marshmallow creme, cream cheese, a touch of lemon extract and a drop of yellow food coloring.

Funnel Cakes - The recipe was perfect! I made "mini" versions so everyone could have some.

Beach Scene Cupcakes - We topped the cakes with a flat layer of icing, dipped them in graham cracker crumbs and completed the beach with fruit leather "beach towels" and cocktail umbrellas.

Strawberry Lemonade Punch - Just like my Strawberry Limeade Punch, with lemonade concentrate instead of lime.

Summer's Bounty

Ah, summer ... the time of year when all manner of veggies and fruits are in season! Of course, in today's world our diet can be more varied than ever before, with nearly every type of produce imaginable being available year-round. But, there's nothing like being able to get fresh, local fruits and vegetables in the summer.  The problem I find is that we can't eat it all fast enough! Often I find myself scrambling to use up that lone zucchini or the handful of grapes or the solitary kiwi before it's too late. There are lots of ways to make your produce last, though, so be proactive and plan ahead not only what recipes you'll use the produce in, but what you'll do with the leftovers.

Canning - I'm not a "canner" myself (too lazy!), but I know lots of people who are, and it's a great way to preserve summer's bounty.

Freezer Jam - A delicious, simple way to use berries and other fruits. My favorite is Strawberry Freezer Jam.

Creative Salads - "Lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and Ranch" doesn't have to be where your salad ideas end! Think outside the box with different combinations of veggies, fruits and dressings.

Smoothies - A great way to use up not only fruits, but vegetables, too!

Freezing -  The link I've provided leads to a really comprehensive site on freezing all kinds of produce! It's a good site, overall, too, and is the same one I recommended for canning.

I hope these suggestions help you make the most of the beautiful, delicious abundance of summer!

Monday Tradition?

I'm thinking that on Mondays I'll do a post about what I served our college/singles crew the night before. I've mentioned before some of the restrictions I work around, like making sure it's something somewhat universally liked, fairly cheap, and easy to do either quickly or ahead of time. Last night I served hotdogs, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, chips, and strawberry shortcake. I think that marks the first time I've served them hotdogs, but they were on sale and I couldn't resist!

So, for the hotdogs, I boiled them to heat them through, then crisped them up on my grill pan before serving. Still not as good as grilling them out, but since we don't have a grill ...

I used my standard Coleslaw recipe. I used a head of cabbage and a handful of baby carrots and made it up in the afternoon.

I love Slow-Cooked Mac 'n' Cheese for occasions like this, when oven-baked just isn't practical.

This was my first experience making Strawberry Shortcake, and it turned out really well. I doubled the cake recipe and baked it a little too long, so it was a touch dry. Next time I'll be more careful! I also used fresh whipped cream. I've given the basic method in my Cinnamon Cream Fruit Dip. Just use powdered sugar instead of brown, and omit the cinnamon.

Don't forget to enter your comment on my Giveaway! post for a chance to win a custom apron or one of my new cookbooks!

Veggie Stirfry

I don't eat many vegetables - far fewer than I should - but I do appreciate good produce and I enjoy cooking them. This simple saute is one of my favorite ways to round out a meal that I'm fixing for someone else. Obviously, many other veggies would work well in this, too, just keep in mind that carrots will take longer, broccoli not as long, etc. Also, though I like the tang of lemon-pepper seasoning you could substitute your favorite spice blend or combination of chopped fresh herbs.

Veggie Stirfry

1 yellow squash, cubed
1 zucchini, cubed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper seasoning

In a skillet over medium heat, saute squash, zucchini and onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with garlic and seasoning, and cook for 3-5 minutes longer, until veggies are crisp-tender.

Make plenty of this and use the leftovers to add flavor and vitamins to an omelet, quiche, pasta dish, or quesadilla.

Macaroni & Cheese

Going with the theme of great cook-out foods, I thought I'd feature another traditional favorite - mac'n'cheese! While our Oldest Girl loves the orange stuff that comes in a blue box, The Boy will only eat homemade macaroni and cheese. I'm perfectly okay with them having this for lunch along with fruit and a glass of ice water. It's definitely one of their favorite meals. (Little One gets steamed veggies like broccoli or peas stirred into hers.)

Macaroni & Cheese
8 ounces pasta (macaroni, shells, rotini, penne)
1/2-3/4 cup milk
12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1 egg
1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to cooking pot. Stir in milk, cubed cheese, egg, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into a greased 9-inch baking dish. Top with shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 10 minutes longer, until milk is completely absorbed and cheese is just beginning to brown.

Coleslaw

Everyone has their own favorite coleslaw recipe. It's just one of those things! I don't care for the stuff myself, but Handsome likes it and I've developed this recipe to suit his taste. I usually cut my own cabbage and shred my own carrots, but the bagged mix works well.

Coleslaw
1 bag (14 ounces) coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots)
1 cup olive oil mayonnaise
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Place coleslaw mix in a large bowl. Combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour over coleslaw mix and stir well to coat.

Sweet & Sassy Baked Beans

Though I'm not one to get excited about baked beans, I do like a pile of them next to my grilled hotdog or bacon cheeseburger. Most of the potluck beans I've had are pretty flavorless - dumped out of the can and heated. This recipe takes ordinary baked beans and adds a tangy-sweet blast of flavor.

Sweet & Sassy Baked Beans

4 cans (16 ounces each) baked beans, drained
1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup barbecue sauce

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into a 4-½-qt. bean pot or two ungreased 2-qt. baking dishes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until heated through.

This makes a large amount of beans, obviously, but I make it for our family with just one can of beans, cutting down the other ingredients in proportion, too.

Sweet Potato Stacks

My mother-in-law makes a fabulous Sweet Potato Souffle. It's so good, and so NOT good for you. I've spent a lot of time trying to come up with a recipe that captures the flavor yet doesn't have quite so many calories. Her casserole calls for a delicious smorgasbord of butter, eggs, pecans, and brown sugar, and it's hard to re-create the taste while taking out those ingredients.

The best I've come up with is Sweet Potato Stacks:

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (as thin as you can manage!)
1 small apple, cored, peeled and thinly sliced (preferably a sweet but firm one like Gala or Honeycrisp)
3/4 cup apple juice or orange juice
1/3 cup butter (approximately)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

In a small bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon and sugar. In each of 12 muffin cups, place about a tablespoon of juice. Layer with a couple of slices of sweet potato, a couple of slices of apple, about 2 teaspoons of the oat mixture, more sweet potato (to top off cup), more oat mixture, and a half-tablespoon of butter. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. You will need to remove the stacks from the cups while still hot, or they'll stick to the pan.

Fruit, Bread, and Cheese Plate

While exploring the internet one day last week, I found a blog post about serving a cheese plate before dinner, or as a light meal. Honestly, the whole post, especially the comment section at the end, was pretty pretentious, but the idea stuck with me. I often lament that my kids don't eat well enough and in pondering this cheese plate idea I decided to try it. If nothing else it will help fill them up when they don't like dinner.

Well, it turns out that our family was afflicted with the dread stomach bug this week, and a light supper of bread, fruit and cheese was just what we needed.

Clockwise: grapes, Gala apples, pecans, Honeycrisp apples, strawberries, Red Delicious apples. Middle: honey

Clockwise from bowl: olive oil w/ cracked pepper, toasted bread, plain bread, cinnamon-cranberry goat cheese, brie, and cheddar.

One of my favorite treats of this dinner was bread topped with the goat cheese and pecans, drizzled with honey. I also liked the brie with apples.

This would be a nice treat for a light supper, like we did, or to complement a soup. Add in a bowl of chicken salad and you have a light summer lunch without heating up the kitchen. 

Un-recipe - Greek Pasta

A lot of lunches that I make for myself are really not recipes at all, just ingredients I threw together because they sounded good. I pretty much start with pasta and go from there! Case in point, the Greek Pasta I made the other day. I cooked up a couple of ounces of angel hair pasta -- at 2-4 minutes, the timing can't be beat. In a salad bowl, (a low, flat soup bowl) I drizzled about a teaspoon of lemon juice, a bit of salt and fresh-ground pepper, and a half-tablespoon of butter. When the pasta was done, I tossed it in the bowl, mixing well. Then I topped it off with a couple of tablespoons of feta cheese and tossed that together, too. I was too lazy (and it was too cold!) to go out and clip some fresh oregano or parsley, but that would have been great!

Add a simple salad and you've got the makings of a delicious quick lunch. This would also make a good side dish beside baked chicken or fish.