#345: Peach Berry Crumble

Aah, nothing says summer than ripe peaches and berries in a wonderfully warm dish!  I made this recipe for a recipe swap (theme: fresh produce) and it was fantastic!  I will absolutely make this again.  In fact, I might just make the crumble topping and try to roll those into cookies. (It's basically an oatmeal cookie). I could have eaten the topping raw!  Mmmm!  This would be even better served with a scoop of ice cream or real whipped cream.  Try this one!

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (4 to 5)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate. (I used an 8x8 pan) Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Make topping: In a bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir in butter until crumbly. Toss in nuts.

Make filling: (I just used a knife and peeled the skins off...much quicker!)  Bring a large pot of water to a boil; have ready a large bowl filled with ice water. Using a sharp knife, cut a shallow X into bottom of peaches. Blanch peaches until skins begin to wrinkle, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in ice water to cool. Slip off skins with your fingers; cut in half, remove pits and slice fruit into wedges. 

In a bowl, toss peaches with sugar, flour and salt. Fold in berries. Let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to prepared pie plate. Sprinkle with topping, place on baking sheet and bake until filling bubbles and topping is golden, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

#344: Teriyaki Beef

My family can tell you, I am NOT a big meat eater.  I won't eat something if it looks or smells odd, and if the piece is too thick, I'll probably avoid it.  Growing up I tried to become vegetarian for a while, not because of my love of animals, but because I couldn't stand the taste of meat.  Thanksgiving is still one of my least favorite holidays.  However, that obviously doesn't mean that I don't eat meat, and as a teen and adult have definitely grown to appreciate and enjoy certain meat products.  I made this recipe particularly with Brian in mind, and figured I'd eat a little and enjoy most of the other side dishes I made to go with it.  WRONG!  As you can see from the photo, I like almost all of my meat very well done (I've made many steak houses cringe when I order my food not only "well done," but "basically burn the heck out of it."  True story), and after 7 years of marriage, I rarely have to tell Brian to put my food back on the grill. 

This charred piece of tip steak was delicious!  I cut a few super thin slices to try and ended off finishing that significantly large piece that you see in the photo above.  DEFINITELY going to make this again!  Definitely!

2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of soy sauce
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp sesame oil (I used olive oil)
1 onion (I was too lazy to chop an onion so I used about 1 tbsp minced onion)
2 Tbsp garlic
1/2 tsp pepper
Fresh Ginger (mine was frozen and I couldn't find the grater, so I sliced off about 6 thin slices)

Slice Tri Tip into thin slices and marinate in this. (I skipped this step.  My tri tip was in 4 smaller pieces so I just marinated and grilled it whole).  Grill on BBQ. If your slices are thin enough, you can skewer them and add veggies for kabobs!

#343: Cinnamon Peach Picnic Cake

Mmmm....this is good!  I sliced the peaches super small so there are pieces of peaches ALL throughout this cake.  The almonds on top give it a nice crunchy top, but I bet this would be good without it as well.  This is not a typical "cake."  There is no frosting for this and it doesn't need it!  This would be a great breakfast, and I think these would make awesome muffins as well!!  Thankfully my friend Andi took the leftovers home with her or this cake would be gone very quickly in this house!

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger (I used freshly grated ginger)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract (I used 2 tsp vanilla)
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups diced peeled peaches (3 to 4 peaches)
1 (2-oz.) pkg. sliced almonds (about 2/3 cup)

Heat oven to 350°F.  Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Combine sugar, cinnamon and ginger in small bowl.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.  Beat butter in large bowl at medium speed 30 seconds or until creamy.  Beat in brown sugar until combined.  Beat in egg until well-blended. Beat in almond extract.  At low speed, beat in flour mixture in three parts alternately with buttermilk until just blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Stir in peaches.  Spread batter in pan; sprinkle with almonds and cinnamon mixture.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely on wire rack.

#342: Spiced Tea Lemonade

Photo courtesy of My Recipes.com.  I really need to invest in some glass glasses if only for the sole purpose of taking pictures of some of the drink recipes I try.  Trying to take a picture of the plastic cup or pitcher it's in just doesn't do the photos justice. 

I LOVED this tea/lemonade!  However, it has SO much sugar in it, and I really hate drinking extra calories...if I'm going to consume the calories I'd much rather have ice cream or something, not a refreshing tea!  Regardless, this was good, and very easy to make.  I would definitely make this again, but I think I would try using a lot less sugar and adding it in just until it needs it.  Maybe 3/4 c or less!  It sure is good though!
6 orange spice tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon slices, optional
Put tea bags in a large pitcher.  Stir in sugar and 4 cups boiling water.  Let cool.

Remove tea bags; stir in juice and 2 cups cold water.  Chill for 2 hours.  Fill 8 glasses with ice.  Pour in lemonade; add lemon slices, if desired.

#341: Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

I intended to make this recipe as intended, but when we went to the store we could only find pork shoulder blade with the bone in and it was HUGE.  Brian and I would have been eating it for a week....and here's a little secret...I really don't like pork.  :)  So we figured we'd get a boneless pork loin instead. 

I really wish I liked pork more.  Because I omitted the adobo seasoning and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce these were moist, but basically "chicken" flavored from the broth.  There was NO heat to this at all (which was fine with us).  These were pretty good, but we all ate them a different way.  I made the girls shredded pork and cheese quesadillas because I knew there was no way they would just eat the meat.  They had no idea it was in there!  Brian basically ate shredded pork in a flour tortilla shell...so boring!  He liked it though.  I filled a corn tortilla with LITTLE pork, fresh corn, avocado, tomato, red onion, sour cream and cheese.  Mine definitely looked and tasted the best! 

We would definitely eat this again, but since pork isn't my favorite meat, it isn't something that will be on our menu on a regular basis.  We have a ton of pork leftover, so I mixed the rest with BBQ sauce and we are going to have pulled pork sandwiches for dinner in a few days.  So this turned out better than we had planned.  1 pork and 2 meals is a huge success in my book!

2.5 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed (I used boneless pork loin instead)

6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
cumin
dry adobo seasoning (I omitted this)
garlic powder
3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth (I accidentally read 2 cups, so mine was simmering in a lot of liquid!)
2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I omitted)
2 bay leaves

Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium saute pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.

Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

#340: Cauliflower Fritters

I really, really wanted to like these!  I kind of liked these.  I really wanted to like them more!  These were very easy to make, but I think I might have made them a little too big/thick so the very center was a little too "doughy" than I liked.  I will definitely try these again, but I don't know if I can finish the leftovers that are currently sitting in my fridge! :)

4 cups steamed cauliflower, roughly chopped (I put it in my food processor)

2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano (I used parmesan)
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped (I used dried and added some fresh chives)
1/4 cup hot water
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.  On medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of oil in a 10 inch skillet coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time. Cook until golden brown, turn and cook another few minutes. Add a little more oil to the pan, and repeat with the remaining batter.

#339: BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

For someone who is so picky about chicken, I'm surprised at how much I enjoy pan-fried (lightly fried) chicken lately.  I fully intended to make this BBQ chicken on the grill...then my husband came in and asked "Do you really want all these little pieces on the grill?"  :)  Guess I defrosted meat for chicken fajitas!  Knowing we would have lost most of our chicken strips to the depths of the grill grates, I figured I better cook them on the stove as the recipe called for.  As BBQ chicken, we all enjoyed this.  As something super special...not so much.  I definitely enjoyed it but it wasn't something I'd look for on a regular basis.  1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce
1 pkg. (10 oz.) mixed salad greens
1 large tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 cup sliced red onions
1/2 cup Kraft Light Ranch Dressing (I used homemade buttermilk ranch instead)
1/4 cup Kraft Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese Crumbles (I used shredded cheese)

Cook and stir chicken in barbecue sauce in skillet on medium-high heat until chicken is done.  Toss greens with chicken, tomatoes and onions in large bowl.  Add dressing; mix lightly. Top with cheese.

#338: Loaded Baked Potato Salad

This is a horrible picture...but what you get when you forget to take a picture until the salad is just about totally gone!

I'm not a huge potato salad fan (shh...don't tell my Auntie Mar, it might hurt her feelings!).  I'll eat it, but I don't love it.  It's got too much mayo, egg and celery for my liking and I usually just pick out the potatoes.  I came across this recipe from Kraft that puts bacon and cheese in their recipe and knew that was MY kind of potato salad and decided to make it for our Hitchins' family gathering.  I don't know if anyone else will eat it, but I LOVE this dish.  I ate a little that was left over for lunch today...and I am really looking forward to eating it with lunch tomorrow!  (PS...when I ate the extra potatoes today I used some real bacon bits since I hadn't made the bacon yet.  I really enjoyed it.  So if you don't have time to make/use real bacon, you can definitely substitute it in a pinch).
2 lb. baby red potatoes, quartered

1/2 cup KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

Cook potatoes in boiling water 20 min. or until tender; drain. Cool.  Mix mayo, buttermilk and chives in large bowl. Add potatoes and cheese; toss lightly. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Top with bacon just before serving.

#337: Mexican Kiwi Tostadas

When I first saw the title of this recipe and the word "kiwi" in it, I almost just deleted it out of my yahoo inbox.  But I've found many recipes from Eat Better America that I enjoy, so I figured one day I'd get around to trying it.  Well as summer is quickly coming to an end (I know it's not done yet, but going back to school soon sure makes it feel that way!), I figured I better try this recipe now while kiwi were still fresh, in season and cheap. 

Surprisingly, I really, really enjoyed the kiwi in this tostada dinner!  It gives it a slightly sweet flavor, but you really can't taste it too much (it's not overpowering at all!).  This got a thumbs up from all four of us. 

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 tablespoons Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky Salsa (I omitted because I didn't have any on hand)
4 baked tostada shells
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (I used sauteed peppers and onion instead)
3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1 ounce Mexican Blend cheese, shredded
Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky Salsa (optional)

In a small bowl combine cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt. Brush all sides of chicken with oil; sprinkle evenly with cumin mixture.  Place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 12 to 15 minutes or until no longer pink (170ºF), turning once halfway through grilling.

Cut chicken into bite-size strips. In a small bowl combine sour cream and the 2 tablespoons salsa. Spread mixture onto warmed tortillas. Top with lettuce, kiwi, chicken, and cheese. If desired, top with a spoonful of additional salsa.

#336: Super Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's been a while since I tried/made any recipes from Becoming Betty.  But this is one I've had bookmarked for a while and just never made.  Well I was looking for a very kid friendly recipe to make that would also travel well, and decided to give these a try.  I'm glad I did!  They were SO soft and chewy.  We all loved these!

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add package of pudding. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add baking soda and flour and mix well. Last, pour in chocolate chips and mix until combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes.

#335: Smore's Cookie Bars

Who doesn't like smores?  (Besides my husband?!)  Everyone loves smores, so I decided to make this recipe to take with me to visit some high school friends tomorrow.  Of course as I cut these into bars, I had to sneak a taste to see if they were any good.  Well let me tell you these are FANTASTIC!  Oh my goodness these are soft, a little gooey, and just plain delicious.  I hope my friends enjoy them as much as I do!!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups marshmallow topping (such as Marshmallow Fluff)
2 cups milk-chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Mist foil with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; mix well. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide dough in half. Press half of dough into pan until dough is uniform and flat. Spread with marshmallow topping and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Scatter remaining dough over in clumps. Don't worry about covering the top; marshmallow and chocolate chips should peek through.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Remove from pan, peel off foil and cut into bars.

#334: BBQ Roasted Chicken with Parmesan Potatoes

I like grilled chicken.  I am not as big of a fan of chicken cooked in the oven...yet that doesn't mean that I still won't make these recipes for my family.  So I was nervous about making this recipe, but hoped it would be good.  This went over very well with my family.  The chicken was very juicy.  We all enjoyed this one!

1 lb. small red potatoes (about 8), quartered

1/4 cup Kraft Italian Vinaigrette Dressing made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder, divided
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce
2 Tbsp. Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 400ºF.  Toss potatoes with dressing in 13x9-inch nonstick pan; sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. chili powder. Bake 25 min. Stir potatoes; push to sides of pan. Place chicken in single layer in center of pan; sprinkle with remaining chili powder. Drizzle with barbecue sauce.  Bake 20 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF) and potatoes are tender. Transfer chicken to platter. Stir potatoes to evenly coat with pan drippings. Spoon around chicken on platter; top with Parmesan.

#333: Fresh Tomato and Garlic Penne

This was a very easy, fresh and yummy recipe I found in my Betty Crocker 300 Calorie Cook Book.  So easy to make!  I will definitely make this again!

8 oz cooked pasta (it called for penne, but I used spaghetti)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
12 medium plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves (I used dried, but wish I had fresh on hand!)1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (I omitted)
Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.  Meanwhile in a 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Cook garlic in oil 30 seconds, stirring frequently.  Stir in tomatoes.  Cook 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tomatoes are soft and sauce is slightly thickened.  Stir in basil, salt and pepper.  Cook 1 minute.  Serve sauce over pasta.

#332: Watermelon Coolers

I'm always looking for a different healthy fruity drink to serve the girls.  When I came across this recipe in my Real Simple Magazine I definitely couldn't wait to give it a try!  These watermelon coolers were super easy to make and refreshing and slightly tart.  I loved this freshly made, as it sat out though it got completely watery and I still enjoyed the taste, but it didn't have that slushy texture anymore.  This is something you will want to make just as you are going to serve it. 
8 cups seeded 1/2-inch watermelon cubes
2 cups chilled ginger ale (I used diet ginger ale)
1/4 cup water
6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate

Arrange watermelon cubes on a baking sheet. Freeze 30 minutes, or until solidly frozen. Working in batches, blend frozen watermelon, chilled ginger ale, 1/4 cup water and frozen limeade concentrate in a blender until smooth. Serve in chilled glasses.

#331: Baked Chicken Balls

So I didn't have anything thawed out for dinner so I ran to the grocery store looking for chicken and found some ground chicken for $2.99 a lb.  I came home and needed to figure out something to make with it and we were lacking many other ingredients needed for our usual recipes (i.e. no hamburger buns for chicken sloppy joes).  So I went over to allrecipes.com and started searching for ground chicken recipes, when I came across this one.  I wasn't sure Brian would be willing to try it, but he gave me the go-ahead and I did. 

I didn't have any ricotta, but several of the reviews said they omitted it, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to omit it in ours either.  I contemplated using leftover cottage cheese, but figured I probably couldn't hide it as well in this form.  I also decided to bake mine instead of frying them up.

We actually quite enjoyed these.  Brian expected them to taste more like a chicken nugget, so he was surprised by the "softer" texture of it.  However, the Ritz cracker crust, make these addicting!  You definitely can't stop at one!  :) These would be a fantastic appetizer if you made these a little smaller and served them with little decorative sticks. 

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (I used 1 lb)
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons whole cloves, ground (I used dried thyme instead)
1/4 cup ricotta cheese (I omitted)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon fresh basil (I used dried)
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 eggs, beaten
I also added about 1/3 c plain bread crumbs to help the meatballs keep its shape
1/8 cup crushed buttery round cracker crumbs (I needed about 1/2 c or more--about 1 sleeve)

1. In a large bowl combine the chicken, onion, cloves, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, ketchup, basil, parsley and eggs. Mix well and form about 30 balls out of the mixture, using hands.


2. Roll balls in extra Parmesan cheese and cracker crumbs. (I missed the extra parmesan part and just rolled in crushed ritz crackers) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and fry chicken balls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. (I baked mine in a 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes)

#330: Better-than-Ever Cheesy Meat Lasagna

Lasagna is one of the best recipes to make ahead because you can cut the recipe into two 8x8 pans and freeze one for later on.  Yes it does take a little bit of prep work but it is such a relatively easy recipe to make.  It took years for me to try a recipe that had cottage cheese in the filling, but I'm happy to say I've been using it for quite a while now and my family has no idea....or at least they aren't complaining!  My girls are not big lasagna fans, so I wasn't surprised that they didn't touch theirs.  Brian and I however, definitely enjoyed this!


3/4 lb. extra-lean ground beef (I used 1 lb)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce (I used almost 2 jars)
1 large tomato, chopped (I omitted)
1 egg
1 container (16 oz.) Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 pkg. (7 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

Heat oven to 375°F.  Brown meat with garlic and oregano in large saucepan. Stir in spaghetti sauce; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes. Mix egg, cottage cheese and Parmesan.

Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 3 noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 cup sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce; cover.

Bake 30 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Make Ahead

Assemble lasagna as directed. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake, covered, at 375°F for 40 min. or until heated through.

#329: Homemade Crepes

 I woke up this morning and was going to make the girls pancakes for breakfast.  Then I decided we needed something new to try...so I pulled out a crepe recipe I've been sitting on and we decided to give those a try.  The recipe says to let the batter sit for an hour, but there was NO way my girls were going to let me delay breakfast for that long, so I let it sit for about 10 minutes and then started making them.  I do not like it when you can taste egg in a batter (like in pancakes) so I was pretty sure I was not going to like these...I was wrong!  I made our crepes with 3 different fillings:
1. Peanut butter
2.  Butter, cinnamon and sugar
3. Syrup

Peanut butter was the definite favorite in this group!  I figured I'd have some crepes to freeze for a future breakfast but the girls ate every last one!

Here's what I learned with this recipe, it really doesn't need any butter.  I found when I melted butter in the pan first, those came out a little greasy.  Also, the easiest way to evenly spread out the filling is to pour and tip the pan at the same time.  Finally, these need to be a THIN layer of batter otherwise your crepes will be way too thick!

1-1/2 cups 2% milk
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 teaspoons butter

In a small bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in an 8-in. nonstick skillet over medium heat; pour 2 tablespoons batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack.  Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter to skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. Yield: 16 crepes.

#328: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Flatbreads Recipe

Not the best picture...doesn't do this recipe justice!

I loved my recent issue of Taste of Home because there were SO many recipes that I ripped out and am eager to try!!  We took the girls to the farmer's market this morning to see what produce (and cinnamon rolls) we could get and came home with some really yummy looking tomatoes.  So I knew this would be the perfect recipe to try!!  This was FANTASTIC!  The girls enjoyed it without the tomatoes but I LOVED it and plan to make another one (half of the recipe) for lunch for the three of us again today!  Delicious!!!

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided (I used dried)
1 tablespoon minced chives
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (I used dried)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tube (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
I added some sauteed red onion

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, chives, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper until blended.

Unroll pizza crust and cut in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 12-in. x 6-in. rectangle; brush each side with oil. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove from the grill.

Spread grilled sides with cheese mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese; top with tomatoes. Return to the grill. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted, rotating halfway through cooking to ensure an evenly browned crust. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Yield: 2 flatbreads (12 servings each).

#327: Do-It-All Marinade

Another yummy, juicy chicken marinade from my All You magazine!  This one can be used with chicken, beef or pork and I think it would probably be good with any of those choices.  We made it with chicken this time but I will probably try this again with a different kind of meat.  This is so simple to throw together!

3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (I used dried parsley)
 
Whisk all ingredients together. Pour marinade over chicken, steak or pork; cover and chill meat for at least 5 hours. Remove meat from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat meat dry (we didn't do that step!) and cook as desired.

#326: Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing

I found this recipe in my most recent issue of Taste of Home Magazine.  You  had to look hard for it because it was hidden under another recipe and a little side note. This was very easy to make and really, really good!  I'm not a huge fan of ranch dressings because they are too sweet, but the buttermilk makes this tangy, thick and mmmm good!  I will be making a potato salad later in the week that calls for bottled ranch dressing and I plan to make this and substitute it instead!


3/4 c buttermilk (I made my own w/milk and vinegar)
2 c cottage cheese
1 packet ranch salad dressing mix


Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve with mixed salad or choice of cut up veggies.