#1,561: Melon Salsa

I pretty much love any type of salsa, and this recipe did not disappoint.  I really, really enjoyed this and it was so summery and refreshing.  I would definitely make this again.  In fact, I'm going to take the leftover salsa and eat it in lettuce leaves as a healthier option!

3 cups diced ripe yet firm cantaloupe
2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, mix melon, pineapple, bell pepper, onion, ginger, jalapeño and lemon or lime juice. Stir well, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Just before serving, stir in mint and oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve cold.

#1,560: Buffalo Chicken Dip

I knew this would be an easy recipe to make, but I don't know why I let it sit on my Pinterest boards for three years?!!?  This was SO good....creamy, a tiny spicy, and gooey.  I served it with pita chips and the entire pan was gone by the end of book club.  SO good.  

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, drained
1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
French bread baguette slices, celery ribs or pita chips (to dip)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread cream cheese into an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish.

(I mixed this all together and then spread it on top of the cream cheese). Layer with chicken, wing sauce and salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. If desired, serve bread, celery or pita chips. 

#1,559: Zucchini Cookies

The kids helped me make these cookies...and I think there is something wrong with my oven because these got quite over-done on the bottoms.  Because of that I wouldn't necessarily serve them to guests, but for my family they are just fine.  My kids actually really, really liked these and they are not fans of oatmeal.  I cut back on the sugar to about ¾ cup to make them just a tad healthier.  I would definitely make these again.  They are a little dense, but we enjoyed them.

1½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup shortening (I used coconut oil)
1 egg
1 cup grated zucchini
1¾ cups quick oats

Frosting (I omitted…I didn’t feel like frosting these…)
½ cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon together in a large bowl and stir to combine ingredients well. Cut in shortening. Beat in egg until well combined. Add zucchini and oats and beat until evenly mixed in.

Spoon drops of cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

Frosting

Cream butter in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Add more milk and/or powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Frost cookies once they are completely cooled and sprinkle the tops with a little nutmeg.

#1,560: Chocolate Fudge Zucchini Cookies

As you can obviously tell, I’ve got a theme going this week with zucchini recipes.  I got a bunch of them at Sam’s Club this week and figured it would be a great time to get some zucchini recipes removed from my Pinterest boards.  These chocolatefudge cookies are really, really good.  I thought the dough was a little dry so I added an egg into the mix and it gave it more of a cake-like texture.  The kids loved these though and I decided I’m going to serve them for my friends at book club tomorrow so we don’t eat them all.  Although I think these would probably freeze really, really well and would be a great thing to put in the kids lunches. 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
2/3 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini (squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini after grating)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars. The mixture will be thick and resemble sand-that's ok. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes or until cookies are firm. Remove cookies from sheet and cool completely on wire racks.

#1,558: Brussels sprouts and bacon (#2)

My friend Jaime asked that I make this recipe and I loved eating it for dinner one night (protein and veggie in one meal...what more do I need?!).  I usually don't pan fry my brussel sprouts and roast them instead, but this turned out really well.  I over did some of the pieces a little so it got a bit bitter, but I still enjoyed it.  The crispy bacon gives it really great texture too. 

1½ - 2 pounds brussel sprouts
5 slices bacon, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
⅓ cup hot water (if needed)
juice from ½ lemon
salt & pepper to taste

Wash and remove the outer leaves from brussel sprouts, trim stem end and cut in half. If brussel sprout is smaller, you can leave whole & just cut an X in the bottom to allow heat to penetrate.

In a large skillet, cook bacon until evenly browned, remove bacon from skillet, leaving grease behind.

Stir butter and olive oil into bacon grease, add shallots and cook until translucent.

Add the halved brussels sprouts and pan fry, stirring frequently until the brussels sprouts are golden (be careful not to burn them or they will taste bitter),and tender, yet still slightly firm, about 10 minutes. (Add ⅓ cup hot water if pan is getting dry and sprouts aren't cooking).

To re-heat bacon, add it back to the pan for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Squeeze lemon juice over cooked brussel sprouts and season with salt and pepper.

#1,556 and #1,557: Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting

This is actually two recipes in one (one for the zucchini cake and one for the frosting).  My kids have been asking me to make zucchini bread for weeks now and I've had to put off making this recipe for one reason or another.  But tonight, I had some extra time and figured I'd throw these in the oven to make for them for breakfast tomorrow. I also made these in smaller pans (instead of the recommended 9x13 pan) so that I could give away some of this so we don't eat it all.  This was a huge hit in our house. We loved it...although I thought it was a little dry. Next time I'm going to add one more egg. 

For the zucchini cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup...who needs 2 cups of sugar?!!?)
1/2 cup dark baking cocoa (I just used regular baking cocoa)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt (I used a 3 oz container of Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini

Frosting Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan.

In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients. In another bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Stir in zucchini.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

To make the chocolate frosting:

Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until smooth.

Place evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla in a blender; cover and process 1 minute to dissolve sugar. Add warm chocolate mixture; cover and process just until mixture thickens to desired consistency, about 30 seconds. 

#1,555: Grilled Zucchini Guacamole

I had very low expectations for this recipe because I wasn't sure I was going to love the texture of this recipe with the mashed zucchini.  It totally tastes nothing like traditional guacamole but I did enjoy it. Would I want to eat this everytime instead of regular guacole? No. But it definitely was good. 

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1 avocado--pitted, peeled and cubed
3 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon coriander

Preheat grill pan over medium-high. Spritz the zucchini with cooking spray (I used my Misto); grill until tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then dice. Mix with remaining ingredients and 1/2 tsp. salt.

#1,554: Baba Ganoush (Roasted Eggplant Dip)

At first, I didn't love the texture of this because of all of the seeds that were in my eggplant.  I felt like the dip was too chunky and crunchy but only because of the seeds.  I planned on throwing this out...but then I tried it about 12 hours later with a pretzel crisp and I enjoyed it so much more.  I don't know if it was because the flavors had time to meld longer and better or because the crunchiness of the pretzels masked the seeds, but regardless, I really did enjoy this.  It sure isn't the prettiest thing I've ever eaten, but it was good. 

2 medium eggplants (about 2 pound)
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil, optional

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and turn broiler on (high heat). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place eggplants onto the baking sheet and prick in several places using a fork. This helps steam escape while the eggplants roast.  Broil eggplants 2 minutes on all sides. The skin will darken a little and begin to smell smoky, adding lots of flavor to the dip.

Turn broiler off, but do not remove eggplants from the oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Roast eggplants 25 to 30 minutes, or until very soft. Cool 10 to 15 minutes until easily handled.

(I did the rest of the steps in my food processor to make combining the ingredients easier…)  Meanwhile, combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and the salt in a medium bowl. Set aside so the flavors meld.

Split the eggplants, scrape out the flesh and add to the tahini mixture. (Discard excess liquid and skins).

 Mash eggplant into tahini mixture with a fork until somewhat smooth with some texture remaining. Cool to room temperature then stir in parsley and drizzle the top with olive oil.

#1,553: Phyllo Dough Meat Rolls

I had some ground turkey to use up as well as half of a package of phyllo dough so I went to my pinterest boards in search of something to make with this.  I came across this recipe which was perfect since I had all of the ingredients already on hand. The roll on the top in the photo is cut in half so you can see a little bit into the inside of it.  This was really easy to make and everyone (except Matthew but he's my picky eater) ate it and enjoyed it.  This was a great way to use up some left over ingredients!

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tsp allspice
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 cup for later
16-20 Phyllo sheets
1 egg, mixed with little water (egg wash)

Additional filling ingredients
5 oz creamy feta cheese (I omitted)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs (I used 1)
1 tsp dill weed
1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add onions and saute briefly on medium-high.  Add ground beef and spices. Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, until ground beef is fully cooked and browned (about 8 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.

When ground beef has cooled, combine it with the additional filling ingredients.

Take 16 phyllo pastry sheets, more if needed, and lay them carefully in a large tray. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel (this will keep phyllo pastry from cracking or breaking). Take two sheets of phyllo and lay them on a large cutting board. Brush phyllo generously with olive oil. With a good knife, cut right down the middle forming two long phyllo strips.  Take one phyllo strip and begin to make your first roll. Take a spoonful of the meat-cheese mixture and place on the short end of phyllo strip (the end closest to you). Roll away from you two times.  Fold in the phyllo strip sides all the way, and then continue to roll phyllo toward the other end.

Brush with a little more olive oil and egg wash. Place your first phyllo roll on a large and lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the other phyllo strip.  Repeat with the process with remaining phyllo, working with two phyllo sheets at a time. You should end up with 16 phyllo dough meat rolls lined up nicely in your large baking sheet.

I sprinkled some garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese on top of mine before baking to give it more flavor.  I think it was a great idea!

Place the phyllo rolls in the 400 degree F oven. Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven. Serve warm.

#1,552: Marinated Pork Chops

So I just started using Home Chef (thanks to my sister and my mom) and had an extra pork chop left over that I needed to use.  I wanted to make a super simple grilled pork chop recipe, but I really dislike the texture of pork.  I like my meat super well done, and that always (obviously) equals super tough and chewy meat...pretty much inedible.  So I went in search of a marinade that would hopefully let me grill my pork chop but keep it more moist and tender.  I came across this recipe and figured I'd give it a try.  It really was super simple and I liked it a lot...it wasn't anything super special, but it was quick and gave the meat some flavor!  And it was definitely moist!

4 boneless pork loin chops
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon steak seasoning

Mix olive oil, soy sauce and steak seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and pour into a one-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add the pork chops and set the bag in a baking dish in a way that the pork chops get a healthy dose of the marinade (it may be advantageous to flip the bag over halfway through the marinating time). Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours (no more than 8).

Heat the grill to medium and grill the chops 6-8 minutes per side (depending on how thick they are) until they are no longer pink in the center. Remove the chops from the grill and tent them with foil and allow them to rest for 5-7 minutes. Slice the chops in 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices across the grain and serve.

#1,551: Lima Bean Hummus

Lima beans are the one veggie I actually like, but rarely eat.  I never think to make it for my kids even though my mom used to make it for us.  So I figured this would be a good way to try and expose them to lima beans and see if they like it.  I also liked the prospect of this recipe because it seemed like a milder tasting hummus.  Sadly, my kids didn't like this at all, but I actually did.  Yes it is more bland compared to traditional hummus recipes, but I still liked it.  

1 package(10 oz) package frozen baby lima beans (not thawed)

2 cups water
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1⁄2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon hot water (if you like)

Put the lima beans and water in the pot and put the pot on the stove. Turn the heat to high and cover the pot. When you see steam coming out from under the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer until the beans are tender and creamy, 10–15 minutes. Drain the beans in the colander or strainer.

Put the lima beans and the rest of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth, about 1 minute. You can add 1–2 tablespoons of hot water if you want the dip to be creamier. Now taste the hummus. Does it need more lemon juice? More salt or mint? If so, add it and taste again.

Using the spatula, scoop the dip into the serving bowl or lidded container.  Serve right away or cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.

#1,550: Caesar-Spinach Dip

Here's another recipe I pinned 3 years ago that I made for a recent family party.  It's a slight spin on traditional spinach dip. I kind of like it!  It is much cheesier and has a grittier texture because of the parmesan but I was okay with that.  It is a thicker dip though so I don't know how easy this could be to serve with pieces of bread.  I think cut up veggies or crackers would be best.  I used pita chips which were delicious. 

1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup Classic Caesar Dressing
1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1/3 cup chopped red peppers

Mix sour cream and dressing in medium bowl. Reserve 1 tsp. cheese.  Add remaining cheese to sour cream mixture with spinach and peppers; mix well. Top with reserved cheese.  Serve with crackers or veggie sticks. 

#1,549: Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

My kids totally loved this smoothie, even my non-smoothie loving 6 year old!  I made it with Crystal Light lemonade since that's what we had on hand and although the kids really enjoyed it, I think it would have been better with real lemonade (and taste less processed and artificial!).  It was so simple to make though and the kids drank the whole pitcher!

2 cups lemonade
3/4 cup (6 ounces) lemon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process 15 seconds or until blended. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

#1,548: Loaded Baked Potato Dip

When I read the reviews on this recipe I was surprised to see so many people asking where the "potato" came into this recipe/dip.  So in case it isn't obvious, the "potato" in this dip comes from your potato chip that you dip into it.  Duh, right?!?!  I also made this recipe for a a family gathering tomorrow and figured this would be a good choice because I could make it ahead of time, it should travel easily, and I don't have to heated it up.  Anything I can make in advance of a party and then just set out is a winner in my book.  Personally, I think it's really good, but I pretty much like any dip, especially ones that involve cheese and bacon.  I did think it was a little too tangy for my liking, so I added about 1/2 cup of mayo to help balance out the flavor a little bit.  Hopefully the rest of the family enjoys it as much as I do. 

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives
I also added about 1/2 c mayo
Serve with wavy potato chips

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld together. Garnish with extra shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and chopped chives. Serve with your favorite potato chips. Dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

#1,547: Dijon Shallot Vinaigrette

This was a super simple recipe that I whipped together one night for dinner.  I decided to put it all in my magic bullet and puree it to really incorporate the flavors. I was also out of shallots so I added some red onion.  I thought it was great!  I was a tiny bit sweet and a little tangy...delicious on salad!!

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅛ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons honey
1 large shallot, finely chopped (I used about 1/8 of a red onion)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Finely chop shallot and combine along with remaining ingredients in a mason jar or other glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously until well mixed. Serve and Enjoy!

#1,546: Quick Pickled Crudites

I found this recipe in one of my recent issues of Real Simple magazine.  Although I liked these pickled veggies, I didn't love it.  I think it was the choice of veggies though.  The radishes, which I like in general totally overpowered this, and I was not a huge fan of the fennel.  Would I make this again, probably not.  Will I continue to eat it though, sure.    

2 c distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, halved
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 c water
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch thick wedges
2 english cucumbers, cut into sticks
3 medium carrots, cut into sticks
3 radishes, halved or quartered

Combine the first seven ingredients together in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Simmer for about 1 minute until the salt dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Pour over the remaining prepared ingredients in a large bowl.  Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.  Refrigerate in a jar for up to 1 week.  

#1,545: Balsamic, Tomato, and Avocado Tuna Salad

I really wanted to love this recipe, because it was so simple to make and would be a great way to use up leftover avocado, but I really disliked this recipe.  I think it was the texture of the tuna.  Personally I think this would be much better with chicken, and will probably try it with chicken next time.  As is though, I was not a fan.  

1 can of tuna packed in olive oil
splash of balsamic vinegar 

1/2 tomato, diced 

1/2 medium avocado, mashed
I also added: 

1/4 of a red onion, diced
about 1/4 c of chopped cucumber
salt

pepper
chopped fresh basil

In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients.  

#1,544: Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin

This recipe can actually be adapted to cook anyway you like (grilled, baked or in the crockpot), but with is being grilling season I definitely decided to grill ours.  We loved this.  The kids aren't big meat eaters, but even Chloe loved this one and asked for seconds.  That's a big deal for her.  We will definitely be making this again.    

1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
4 garlic cloves, crushed (or prepared minced)
1 1/2 – 2 pounds pork tenderloin

Mix first 8 ingredients together in strong freezer safe plastic bag.  Place pork tenderloin in freezer bag and seal. Refrigerate overnight (I marinated mine in the fridge for about 4 hours).b

For grilling, discard liquid, and grill ten minutes per side (depending on size of meat. Check to make sure it’s done.

If baking in the oven: Place in a glass baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until done.

If making in the crockpot: Place pork mixture in crock pot and cook on low for 4+ hours or 3 hours on high. 

#1,543: Vietnamese Inspired Chicken and Cabbage Salad

This recipe can easily be thrown together in a matter of minutes, especially if you use bagged coleslaw mix and have leftover chicken.  I grilled my chicken because I prefer to eat it that way rather than bake it in the oven, but you could easily grill (or bake) several pieces of chicken and have this ready to go for several meals one week.  Personally I thought this was better when I added a little bit of crumbled bacon on top, but I love bacon way more than I love grilled chicken.  :)  I would definitely eat this again, although I will probably omit the mint only because I don't love the flavor of mint.  Otherwise, I really thought this was good!

1 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (or leftover chicken)
1/2 small head Savoy Cabbage, thinly sliced (3 cups)
1/2 cup julienned carrots
2 green onions, thinly sliced long ways
2 tbsp Mint leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp Cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Dressing
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I used the juice of 1 lime)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (I used worchestershire sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey (I used a little bit of stevia)
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 red seeded chili, chopped (I used a jalapeno)

(I skipped this step because I grilled my chicken and then just chopped it up) To roast chicken breasts:  Place them in a baking dish with a cup of chicken broth and roast them at around 300 degrees for about 25 minutes or till cooked through (165 internal temp), baste a few times. Cool a bit then pull into thin strips or shred with a fork. Set aside.

Thinly slice the cabbage, carrots and spring onion tops (the green parts) into long strips, then roughly chop the herbs and place all the above ingredients into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl or mason jar, measure out all the dressing ingredients.  Shake or mix well. Pour the Dressing over the salad, toss and serve.  Feel free to play with the salad dressing ratios to suit your taste.

#1,542: Greek Chopped Salad

Mmmm...doesn't that look good?!?!  Although this is a great recipe as is, it was also great added on top of some pulled pork, and eaten as a topping to some shredded lettuce.  I love the saltiness of the olives and the feta, but the crispness of the cucumbers and carrots.  This is an overall great recipe!!

3 c. halved cherry or grape tomatoes
2 large English cucumbers, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 c. diced red onion
1 c. pitted and roughly chopped Kalamata olives
1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c. chopped fresh oregano
1 8-oz. block of feta, diced (or use crumbled feta)

For the salad dressing:

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c. white balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients, except for the feta cheese. Toss gently to combine.

In a small bowl, whisk together all salad dressing ingredients.

To yield the best flavor, it is best to prepare this salad a few hours before serving. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over the salad mixture and toss a few times to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve, folding gently every hour or so. When ready to serve, add more dressing if needed. Then add the feta cheese and fold again to incorporate. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. 

#1,541: Bacon Potato Salad

I’ll admit, I don’t really love potato salad that has a mayo base.  I generally go for more of a vinegar based potato salad, so I was nervous to make this recipe.  I however, absolutely loved it (so did my brother Mike!) and would definitely make this again.  I did not use the full amount of mayo/buttermilk/seasoning though and added just enough for it to be fully coated, but not enough that it was drenched and overpowering.  This was VERY good!!

2 1/4 pounds small red potatoes, larger ones halved
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 slices bacon
2 ribs celery, diced
3 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup cup low-fat buttermilk
2 teaspoons country Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil; add 1 tsp of the salt. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender. Drain; rinse with cool water. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes, turning. Remove to a paper towel.

Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl; add celery and scallions. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, 2 tbsp water, the mustard, sugar, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper. Crumble bacon over potatoes; toss with dressing. Refrigerate until serving. 

#1,540: 4th of July baked beans

I love baked beans occasionally, especially when it is served with BBQ type foods.  But canned baked beans need some flavor enhancing.  This recipe was perfect to start with canned beans (for some this is tragic I know, but it makes it so much easier and faster to make!!) but tastes so much better with the addition of the spices, seasoning, and meat! I will definitely make this recipe again...it was so simple and I made the meat mixture ahead of time and added the spices/seasonings.  Then when I was ready to make it, I threw it together with the canned beans into a crockpot and let it heat up on high for about 3 hours.  Super simple, quick to prepare side dish!

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (13.7 ounces each) beans with tomato sauce

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain. 

Stir in sugars, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, molasses and chili powder. Add beans and bacon.

(I skipped this step and put it all in a crockpot and let it cook on high for 3 hours).  Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees, covered, 45 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through. 

#1,539: Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Here's a super easy, low calorie side dish/veggie you can make that goes with just about any dish this summer.  I made this a day before we ate it, but it is definitely best eaten within 24 hours of making it so I wouldn't suggest making it too far in advance.  Unless you like soggier cucumbers (but I do not).  

2 English cucumbers, unpeeled, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (I omitted)
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons sugar (I used splenda)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
I also added half of a thinly sliced red onion

I skipped this step: Place cucumber slices in colander. Sprinkle with salt; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain cucumbers well; pat dry.

Meanwhile, for dressing, stir vinegar, dill, sugar, and pepper in large bowl until sugar is dissolved.  Add cucumbers to dressing and stir to blend.  Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours; serve cold.

My New Favorite Kitchen Gadget: Pampered Chef Brownie Pan

At the end of the school year I got a unique gift from one of my students...a brownie pan from Pampered Chef.  Obviously, from this blog, you can tell that I love to cook and probably have most gadgets already...but I did NOT have this one yet.  I was a little nervous to use it because I actually hate muffin pans and have been known to throw them out after using them when I can't get them clean.  But when I made brownies recently, I decided to give this pan a try.

No joke, I am in love with this pan!  Look at the picture below...that is what the pan looked like when I took the brownies out (and I used it twice!!).  NOTHING stuck to this at all and was so easy to clean.  I'm a muffin pan user convert!!  Love, love, love!  I need to get another one now too...or maybe two more!!  So thankful for this gift from my student and her family!!

#1,538: Zucchini brownies (flourless and paleo)

My husband still won't try these brownies because he knows I didn't make normal brownies and since I won't tell him what's in these, he doesn't trust me enough to actually eat one.  The girls loved these and so did I.  They are really good although they do taste a little different than a traditional brownie.

I had to bake mine for about 40 minutes and personally I think it would have been better even longer.  The thinner this is, the more it tastes like traditional brownies.  The thicker ones have a mushier texture, which is still good but you can tell they are not regular brownies. 

I made these in a pampered chef mini brownie molds...see the next post for more info!

1 cup almond butter
1 1/2 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cup raw honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 cup dark chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour into a greased 9x9 baking pan. (I used a pampered chef mini brownie pan).  Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

#1,537: Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

This was a hard recipe to photograph because I didn't make enough of it to actually be able to pour it into a glass to photo.  I did however eat it on top of some lettuce from my garden, diced veggies and added some grilled pork chop on top.  You still can't really see the dressing in the photo but it's better than no picture at all I suppose.  This was a very simple salad dressing to make and I loved it not only on my salad but with the grilled meat as well.  

½ bunch or handful of cilantro
2 limes, juiced or ¼ c lime juice
1 clove garlic
½ jalapeño, remove seeds
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
8 cracks of salt
¾ tsp spicy mustard
¼ c olive oil

In a food processor or blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, & vinegar. Blend well.  Add salt, mustard & olive oil. Blend.  Toss with mixed greens.

#1,536: Skinny pi a colada

Here is a really easy recipe you can throw together in less than a minute, and makes a great lower calorie pina colada.  I loved this and may or may not have had this in the middle of a nice warm (not overly hot) summer day!  :)  I will definitely make this again...and again!

1 cup ice cubes
2 oz (4 tablespoons) coconut rum
2 oz (4 tablespoons) pineapple juice
1 oz (2 tablespoons) fat-free half-and-half (I used almond/cashew milk)

Place ice in blender. Pour remaining ingredients over ice. Cover; blend until smooth.  Pour into glass; serve immediately.

#1,535: Apple cider glazed pork chops

Here is a simple rub/marinade that went fabulously with our pork chops.  The family really enjoyed this recipe, so I would definitely make this again. 

1½ lbs Pork Chops (I used thin cut boneless)

Rub:
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Apple Cider Glaze:
1½ c. apple cider
¼ c. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. salt

Light your gas or charcoal grill and heat to medium high heat.

In a small saucepan, prepare the glaze by combining the apple cider, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a simmer. While the cider comes to a simmer, prepare the pork rub. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add the oil to the spice mixture. It will be the consistency of a crumbly paste. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, and then cover the chops on all sides with the spice rub.

Put the spice covered pork chops on the heated grill, and thoroughly brush with the cider glaze. Grill for about 6 minutes. Flip the chops and thoroughly brush with the glaze on the other side. Grill for about 2 more minutes, flip and brush again. Repeat this process until the chops cook for 10-12 minutes total, and reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees. It’s okay for pork to have a little pink in the middle.

If you're also grilling apples, brush the halved apples with glaze and grill for about 5-6 minutes. No need to flip. Serve along with the chops.