Sauteed Green Beans

I love green beans and am always looking for a new way to fix them so my kids will continue eating them without complaining.  This is the latest recipe and I LOVE it! Tony and I ate the whole batch between the 2 of us!

~Recipe~
Heat olive oil or butter in a saute pan, add beans, roasted almond slivers, and a squeeze of lemon and saute until cooked but still crunchy.  Salt and pepper to taste! Easy and Healthy! Yum! Enjoy~

Loaded Potatoes

This is a great side dish although I will make it creamier next time.  I  like the added depth of the Ranch. The kids gobbled it up!

~Recipe~
1 16 ounce sour cream container
2 cups cheddar cheese
3 ounces bacon bits
2 green onions sliced*I did not add these*
1 pkg Ranch dip mix
1 24 ounce bag of frozen hash browns

In a large bowl mix sour cream, cheese, bacon, onion and Ranch.  Throw in the potatoes and coat with the mixture.  spread in a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees fo r40 minutes.  I added more cheese to the top and will add more sour cream in the mix next time! Enjoy~

Trial and Error....Watermelon and Blue Cheese Salad

~In the spirit of the 4th of July I made a red-white-and blue salad.  Watermelon and blue cheese.  Tony came to the table and asked what "that" was....I told him and he said it looked like raw tuna with specks.  He could not get over the look. He tried it and said it was ok...if he hadn't seen it before. The after taste of the blue cheese is wonderful, in  my humble opinion....for what that is worth.  Brenn wouldn't even try it.  I will take it to a BBQ and get other opinions at some point! Try it and see what you think!

~Recipe~
1 12-14 lb watermelon(seedless)
2 Tbsp champagne vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Cut the rind off the watermelon and make into triangles  or chunks.  Place watermelon in a large bowl.  In small bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, drizzle over the melon. Add the blue cheese and toss carefully through the water melon. Enjoy~

Slow Cooker Beans

My contribution to one of the 4th of July BBQ's was these slow cooker baked beans. They  are very easy, I would recommend not cooking them on high as the recipe indicates.  Maybe on high for the first 3 hours, mine were overdone.

~Recipe~

Soak~ 1 pound of dry  great Northern beans in 6 cups of water overnight. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda and bring the beans to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Take the foam off the top of the beans as it simmers. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.  Put the beans in a slow cooker.

Cook~ 4 ounces of salt pork trimmed of rind and cut into 1/2 in cubes. Put in a large skillet fat side down and cook until fat renders, about 10 minutes.  Turn pork pieces over and add 2 cups chopped onion and cook until slightly browned.  Add 2 tsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute. add all of that to the beans in the slow cooker.

Combine 1/4 cup pure maple syrup with 1/3 cup molasses
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground ginger and
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Whisk all together and add to the slow cooker.  Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved bean liquid. Add hot water to the liquid if you don't have 2 1/2 cups. Cook on high for 5-6 ours.

Stir in 1/4 cup pure maple syrup and 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar and salt and black pepper to taste.
Enjoy~

Blue Cheese Potato Salad

YUM.  This was a different take on potato salad.  We loved it and it will become a favorite I am sure!

~Recipe~
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 lbs of  new red potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 bunch of green onions chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces of blue cheese, crumbled
1-2 Tbsp blue cheese salad dressing*note previous post*

Place bacon in a skillet and cook, drain, crumble and set aside
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes.  Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes.  Cook longer if bigger. Drain, cool and dice potatoes. leave the skins on!
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper.  Add the potatoes, bacon and cheese, toss to coat all of the potatoes. It is delish warm, room temp or cold. YUM! Enjoy~

Creamy Lemon Rotini

This is a great side dish with a ton of flavor. This was the first time I had made it and it was a perfect addition to the dinner.

~Recipe~
4 cups rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 Tbsp butter
 4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp dried parsley**I used fresh**
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
Melt butter in a large sauce pan and mix in the cream cheese and milk.  Stir constantly until the cream cheese is completely melted and the sauce is well blended.  Stir in 2 Tbsp of the Parm. Toss the cooked rotini with the sauce, the zest and parsley until evenly coated.  Top with the pepper and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. YUM!

Enjoy~

Cheesy potatoes

My kids love this side dish. So simple and good...it pairs well with anything. AND it has cheese AND sour cream...WINNER in my book! I tried to take an appetizing photo of it...but the casserole looks like mush...so I don't have a photo.

~Recipe~
1 (32 ounce) pk frozen hash browns
1/2 cup melted butter
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 16 ounce carton of sour cream
1 cups cornflakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup melted butter

Partially defrost the hash browns. Mix with 1/2 c melted butter, cheese, onion and sour cream, soup and spices.  Put in greased 9 x 13 pan. SPrinkle cornflakes on top and pour the 1/4 cup melted butter on top.  Bake uncovered 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees. YUM!
Enjoy~

Honey butter

This is so easy and so good on home made bread and/ or rolls....

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup honey
In a mixing bowl beat the butter and drizzle in honey as you are mixing. **You can also use peanut butter instead of the butter for a treat! **  EAT! Yum! Enjoy~

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

YUM! That is the only word I can come up with for these potatoes! Easy and deeeelish!

~Recipe~
1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves smashed
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 lbs potatoes with skins on and cut into large chunks

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with the rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat the oil, garlic and rosemary over med heat but do not let the garlic brown.  Boil the potatoes for 1 minute in the water and transfer them to the baking sheet with a slotted spoon.  Stir to coat with oil.  Bake for 20 minutes and carefully toss with a spatula.  Roast an additional 10 minutes until browned and crisp. Season with salt and pepper.  Enjoy~

Corn Muffins

These muffins were so moist and had a ton of flavor.  I will definitely make these again!

~Recipe~
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups Dannon Lite and Fit vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line muffin tins with paper cups. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda.  In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil and yogurt. Add yogurt  mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.  Divide batter into the 12 muffin tins and bake in oven for 20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and tip out of the muffin pan and cool completely.  Enjoy~

Easy Garlic Crisp

This is ridiculously easy and soooo good! I have used it with a lot of dishes and it is always a hit and always gone!

~Recipe~
1 package of refrigerated pizza crust
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic minced**try 2 the 1st time...it is very garlicky**
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Tbsp fresh parsley minced
salt and pepper to taste
Roll the pizza crust out according to packaged directions.  Drizzle olive oil on top of the crust.  Spread the garlic then sprinkle the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, cheeses ad parsely over the crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes...Cut and eat! Enjoy!

Cheesy Red Potatoes

I don't think this is a recipe I will make again, or at least I will tweak it a ton! I did not care for the onion pieces in the potatoes. The potatoes were done perfectly and, of course, the cheese was decadent. So....I will stick with my regular cheesy potatoes, I believe. But, some may like the onion bits...so I thought I would share. You decided what you like! :)It is from the Lipton Soup recipe, I added the cheese. 8 medium sized red potatoes (10 cups chopped, skins on)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup mix
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chop the potatoes and make sure they are kind of the same size, so they cook at the same pace.
Pour them into a 9x13 casserole dish. Add the oil and soup mix,stir very well. **II would try to get all the onion pieces off the bottom of the dish**
Bake at 425 for 35 minutes,turning the potatoes over a couple of times while baking. Sprinkle the cheese on and cook additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and yummy! Enjoy!

New potatoes

New potatoes are so easy and so good! I have just started cooking them and they are a favorite of Brenn's.

~Recipe~
1 bag of new red potatoes
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes(or until fork tender). Drain and add butter, salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley. E.A.S.Y!!

Grilled Asparagus

Grilled Asparagus is one of our favorites. I shop at a great market that sells just the tops and it is so tender and good.

~Recipe~
1 pound fresh asparagus spears
olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
**I add fresh grated lemon peel and shredded parmesan cheese**

Preheat grill. Place asparagus on a plate and drizzle olive oil over the asparagus, turning until each spear is coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again.
Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill(on a veggie plate), each minute of so roll the spears 1/4 turn. It will begin to brown and that is good, just don't char it. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with grated lemon peel and parmesan cheese. Easy and sooo good!

Mojito chicken and Caribbean black beans

The marinade on this chicken smells sooo good! It is like a mental island vacation when you are making it....

~Recipe~
**I doubled this recipe because it is made for 4 servings.**
4 Tbsp chopped fresh mint, divided
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp light rum OR orange juice
2 tsp grated lime peel
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper

Blend 3 Tbsp of the mint and the lime juice, oil, rum(or juice) and lime peel in a blender until smooth. Pour over chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag. Chill for 6-8 hours, turning several times.

Heat grill. Remove chicken from marinade and discard the marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill covered, over medium heat until no longer pink(about 10 minutes). Sprinkle with 1 remaining Tbsp of mint

Black Beans
**I usually soak and boil my black beans which takes a long time . I found this recipe and thought I would give it a try....it is good, I would add a little more cayenne next time.** I will add the black bean recipe to this blog soon.

1 can black beans
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 Tbsp cilantro(I did not use this because I thought the mint and cilantro would clash) but will definately try it next time.
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Combine beans, onion, garlic and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the cilantro, cayenne and salt and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve with pineapple or plantains. I tried to find some good plantains to fry fro something new but could not find any. I will definitely do that next time! Enjoy!

Pasta Caprese

My favorite Italian salad is Caprese. The mixture of all the flavors from the tomato, fresh mozzarella and a favorite herb of mine, basil is a burst of happiness. I came across this recipe and added my own twist. It is a perfect side to any grilled meat. Mmmmm mmmmm Good!!
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice **side note...I would not use this amount...it was quite lemony**
1 shallot, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes,(I did not use the mixed...my kids don' like the yellow tomatoes) cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound pasta, such as campanelle, penne or fusilli
12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces **I salted and peppered the cheese and let it sit for a few minutes before adding it to the pasta**
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Directions
Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar. Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Let sit at room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Add the pasta and mozzarella to the tomato mixture and toss. Stir in the basil and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, until serving.