Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Spinach, Tortellini & Grilled Chicken Salad

In the summer, many of our dinners consist of a main salad and bread. I just use what I have on hand and throw it together, making sure I have some sort of protein, which helps keep us full. Tonight the protein I used was grilled chicken, but I have also used hard boiled eggs or beans/lentils. We use whatever dressing we have on hand, or just keep it simple by drizzling it with a good olive oil and some fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Here is what I used tonight, my family loved it. Another no recipe, recipe.

Spinach, Tortellini, & Grilled Chicken Salad

Spinach

“Almost Naked” Grilled Chicken

Tortellini

Tomatoes

Green Pepper

Cucumber

Corn

Mandarin Oranges (I’ve also used Craisins)

Croutons

My family loved the salad, but see that grilled summer squash in the background? My youngest cried about eating it, then gagged on it. Thought you would like to know…:)

Meals/ RECIPES

Italian Salsa Cruda (Raw Tomato Sauce)

Lately, I have been really into finding and making authentic recipes from all different types of cuisines. This recipe caught my eye because I have a lot of fresh basil and parsley growing my my garden, and in another week I will have a whole bunch of ripe tomatoes. One of my favorite flavor combinations are garlic, basil and tomatoes, so I knew I would love this recipe. It comes Teresa Giudice’s new cookbook “Skinny Italian.” If you recognize her name, it might be because she is on the show “Housewives of New Jersey.” (and just because I know of her cookbook does not mean I am admitting to watching the show!:) Ok, maybe I have once or twice..). She comes from a large Italian family, so her recipes are authentic, but not your usual, heavy, Italian fare. She uses fresh herbs, olive oil, garlic, and sometimes peppers for flavor, so you won’t even miss the typical 2 inches of melted cheese on top! I promise!

The key to this recipe is using quality ingredients. Vine ripened tomatoes, olive oil that actually comes from Italy, (very important, so sweet and mild), FRESH basil and parsley, and freshly shredded Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese.

Parmigiano Reggiano is authentic Parmesan cheese, made in Italy and aged to perfection, at least 18 months. It has a deep, nutty flavor that just makes this dish. It is more expensive, but because the flavor is so wonderful, you don’t have to use much of it and it will keep in your refrigerator for at least a month if tightly wrapped.

If you skimp on the quality of your ingredients, this dish WILL NOT be the same. Buy the good stuff!

Italian Salsa Cruda
3 large, ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2″ dice
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated

Toss all but cheese together with your hands–like the Italians do!
Let stand for 30 minutes.
Serve over noodles, or on toasted slices of baguette. Top with cheese.

This post is linked to:
Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies & Jellybeans

How-Tos/ Meals/ RECIPES

Simple 5 Minute Tomato Sauce (for pasta or pizza)

**This was originally posted 10/09.

I make this recipe at least once a week. We stretch it out over two meals-1/2 for speghetti & 1/2 for homemade pizza. We love it!
I do not miss the over- priced, usually way too sweet, pre-made jar sauces AT ALL! I love that this is not much more work then opening a jar, but makes the house smell like I have been cooking all day!
I found the recipe here at 101 Cookbooks. She writes an excellent post about this simple sauce. She explains that this is not the sauce you are looking for if you are wanting a meat-filled hearty sauce (although we sometimes add some ground beef and it tastes great!) This is a fresh, light, pure tomato sauce, and IT IS GOOD! I usually buy whole -grain pasta because it is full of fiber, protein and iron, (the brand I used in the pictures below has 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in a 2 oz size serving) which is very important especially when eating a meat free meal, and it keeps my family full much longer then the white stuff. There is nothing worse than kids begging for food a half hour after dinner!
I use this recipe when we make homemade pizza, it is so fresh and yummy. I grew herbs this summer and the pizza we made with fresh mozzarella and this sauce and shreds of fresh basil….mmm… to die for! I have also made pasta dishes with this sauce and added a splash of heavy cream at the end with some some peas and parmesean cheese, and turned it into a whole different, super creamy, luxurious dish.

The last time I made this sauce, I accidently bought a can of diced tomatoes, so that is why I got out the hand blender, my family does not like chunks! I make a few other changes to the recipe. I go easy on the red pepper flakes, as my girls don’t like spicy. If I have lemons on hand, I’ll use them, but if I don’t I’ll add a splash of lemon juice from the bottle, it is amazing how just a touch of acid really brightens up the flavor. If I do use zest, I find the zest of a whole lemon is a bit too much lemon flavor for me, so I half it. I also add about a Tbls of sugar if my tomatoes are too tangy. Depending on how much water the tomatoes have in them, you may need to simmer the sauce down a bit if it looks a little watery, which turns the 5 minute sauce into a 10 minute sauce- no big deal.
I make sure I keep an eye out for canned, crushed tomatoes on sale and stock up when they are. As she says in the recipe below, the brand of tomatoes is VERY important. There is a huge difference in taste, so go for the good brands. I think the same goes for the olive oil, buy the best you can afford, the more expensive italian brands are so worth the extra money because they are sweet and have no after taste.
Give this sauce a try! It may become your go- to, always- have- the- ingredients- on- hand, simple meal as it is ours!

Five Minute Tomato Sauce

I’m very particular about the tomatoes I use in this sauce. Look for canned crushed tomatoes, some cans you will come across will say “with added puree” – this is also fine. I avoid diced tomatoes, pass on pureed, and skip whole tomatoes as well. Avoid the crushed tomatoes with added herbs, seasonings, etc. You want pure crushed tomatoes if possible. I also look for organic crushed tomatoes which can be tricky, I often come across the Muir Glen brand, it has added basil in it – that one is actually fine. The San Marzano crushed tomatoes are great as well. Any leftover sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for three or four days.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes
zest of one lemon

Combine the olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat, saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant – you don’t want the garlic to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple minutes. Remove from heat and carefully take a taste (you don’t want to burn your tongue)…If the sauce needs more salt add it now. Stir in the lemon zest reserving a bit to sprinkle on top of your pasta.
Makes about a quart of tomato sauce.

This post is linked to:
The Girl Creative

Meals/ RECIPES

Homemade Hamburger Buns From The Bread Machine

I’m so stinkin’ excited about this recipe for Homemade Hamburger Bun! I’ve tried one other recipe that was good, but not as good as this one. I’m sticking with this recipe because:

~ They are hearty but still soft
~ Easy to make, utilizes the bread machine
~ The recipe makes enough to freeze some for later
~They can be used for more than just hamburgers. (chicken salad, egg salad, dinner rolls, hot dog buns)
~They are inexpensive

I grilled hamburgers for dinner tonight. They made me happy. Quite frankly, the whole meal made me very happy. (*warning-brag fest coming up…) These buns turned out great, I used fresh herbs from my herb pot to season Roasted Red Potatoes, the lettuce for our burgers was from the garden, and dessert… oh… dessert is gonna be so good! After I publish this post, I will be off to my local co-op to get some plain vanilla ice cream. I have been up to my elbows in strawberries the last few days, and thought that Banana Splits would just do our bodies some good.:) I have fresh chopped strawberries, bananas, and I’m going to make Homemade Chocolate Syrup. I think I’ll grab some nuts while I’m there at the grocery store. YUM!
I just love summer. (sigh)

The original recipe for these hamburger buns was posted over at Bliss Tree. I use the same ingredients but different method. She said you can use these as either Hamburger or Hot dog buns. If you have a minute, you should check out her post. She goes on a rant mid post that made me smile (and after eating homemade jam made from freshly picked strawberries today, I totally get her)-you’ll have to click on over to know what I’m talking about. Oh, and if you don’t want to make these in the bread machine, click over to her recipe.

Homemade Hamburger Buns (using the bread machine)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoons honey
1 egg, room temperature
4 1/2 cups flour (unbleached, whole wheat, or a mix) ( I used 3 cups whole wheat, 11/2 cups white)
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (or one pkg)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

~Pour milk, water, melted butter and honey into a glass bowl. Microwave until warm, just to take the chill off. Add the egg.
~Pour into bread machine. Measure flour and put on top of wet ingredients. Make a little well in the flour, add yeast and salt.
~Set machine to dough cycle. When finished, take dough out, knead for a few turns, then divide into 16 pieces (12 for larger buns). Roll into balls, place on greased sheet (I used parchment paper instead), flatten tops down a bit, cover with a cloth and let rise 30 minutes until about doubled.
~Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

*You can brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse sea salt or whatever you would like. I forgot this step, but I bet they would be pretty!
This Post Is Linked To:
Thrifty Thursday @ Tales From Bloggeritaville

Meals/ RECIPES

Portable Chicken Tacos

My daughter’s soccer games are on Monday nights, usually around 5:30/6:00. Dinner can be tricky! These chicken tacos were a great solution to eating on the go–so easy to prepare! I came up with the recipe, and I’ll admit, I’m kinda impressed with myself:)

I had cooked, shredded chicken in the freezer which was made using this process. I froze it in a ziplock bag with about 1/2 cup of chicken broth. I add the broth to keep the chicken flavorful during the freezing process. When I use this method, I can never tell that the chicken has been frozen, and freezing it flat in a ziplock makes thawing a snap. I also use mason jars, but it takes longer to thaw in them.

I dumped the chicken out into a pan, broth and all. Then I added chili powder and taco seasoning (I make mine homemade, using this recipe), and 3 oz. cream cheese. This is just enough to make the chicken creamy and give it a rich flavor. Salt & pepper and some fresh herbs, and Voila! Seasoned chicken for tacos! This would be great in enchiladas, too.

Fresh Herbs and Lettuce From My Garden! So exciting!!

We were running late, rushing around to find jackets and long-sleeved shirts as the weather went from sunny and warm, to windy, chilly and stormy. I knew it was either make dinner portable or show up way too late, so I took a tortilla, added the chicken and some cheese, then heated in the microwave for about 25 seconds or until the cheese melted. I ripped squares of foil, rolled the tacos up like a burrito and then rolled them in the foil. I put the lettuce and tomato I had prepared into a ziplock, threw everything into a bag, and off we went to soccer.

My girls would rather not have the lettuce and tomato on their tacos, so they were very happy to eat their tacos in the car without the toppings. Todd and I ate ours at the soccer field, where I snapped this picture before I scarfed the rest down. The angle is a bit weird, but it was in my lap and I felt very WEIRD snapping photos of my food at a soccer game, so it was a quick pic! Sorry if the bite out of it is unappetizing!;)

The family loved these. I will be making them often!

Portable Chicken Tacos
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp taco seasoning (or to taste)
3 oz. cream cheese
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Fresh Parsely and Chives (optional)

Whole Wheat Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
(whatever toppings you like)

Heat chicken, broth, seasonings, cream cheese, salt and pepper in pan on med. heat for about 5-10 minutes, stirring to incorporate the cream cheese as it melts. Remove from heat and add fresh herbs (optional)

Make you tacos using the method described above if you need a portable dinner. If not, serve chicken on the tortillas, add toppings of choice and enjoy!

Meals/ RECIPES/ Sides

Veri Teriyaki Bowtie Spinach Salad

I am very excited about this spinach salad recipe. I found it at one of my favorite blogs “The Dear Diary Stories.” Marta is the author, and she said she eats a version of it almost every week. If you want to see beautiful photos of this recipe, click on over to her site.

So let’s start with the dressing-oh yum. I think the key ingredient is Soy Vay Veri Veri Teri Yaki Marinade. Why did I not know about this product?

I found it at Walmart and was happy to see that it did not have high fructose corn syrup in it. My girls loved it, to my relief, because they are very picky about their salad dressings!

I made this recipe last night for the first time. We had about an hour before we had to leave for my daughter’s soccer game, so I needed something for dinner that was fast and healthy.

I threw some chicken on the grill (seasoned with grill seasoning), put some noodles on to boil, and chopped a red pepper. The dressing went together in a snap-I used a mason jar of course. 🙂

This dish is well rounded, it contains a protein, carb, vegetables, and fruit- all in the one dish. It took maybe 20 minutes to make–I love feeding my family easy, healthy “fast” food:)

Veri Teriyaki Bowtie Spinach Salad

16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and rinsed with cold water to cool
1 bag of baby spinach
1-2 cans of mandarin oranges
1 cup craisins
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions (didn’t use)
1 cup peanuts or cashews (didn’t use)
1/2 cup fresh parsley (optional-didn’t use)

1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional-didn’t use)

2 cups cooked chicken (optional)

Dressing:
1 cup oil ( I used canola, wondering if olive oil would taste mild enough for this)
2/3 cup white wine vinegar (didn’t have any, used rice vinegar-was great!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce (or any brand-I recommend Soy Vay!)
5 Tbs sugar (I used rapadura)

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, let sit while whisking the dressing together. (I put it all in a jar and gave it a good shake) Pour dressing over pasta and let refrigerate for an hour ( I skipped this, didn’t have time). Combine salad ingredients in a bowl, add pasta/dressing and combine.

***I put all the ingredients in separate small bowls and let my family build their own salads. It worked well, no soggy leftover salad.

****The next day, I tossed all the leftovers, (minus the spinach and mandarin oranges) together in a bowl, added cut up clementines, and it made the most amazing, fresh-tasting pasta salad!! Mmmm.

Meals/ RECIPES

Pizza Rolls

Lately, I have been making batches of pizza dough in my bread maker, then throwing it is ziplocs and freezing it. I’ve been using this recipe off the bag of Bob Mill’s Organic Flour: (I tried a few Whole Wheat Pizza Dough recipes, and I’m still on the look out for one that does not remind me of cardboard…help!)

Perfect Pizza Crust (well almost perfect, would be if it used whole wheat flour!)

1 cup Warm Water (105-115 degrees)

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Rapadura (or Sugar or honey)

1 tsp Salt

21/2 Cups Unbleached White Flour

1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast

Put in order given into bread maker.

Set maker on dough setting.

Push start, when finished,

Place in ziplock to freeze if not using right away.

I’ve done the same with

Seasoned Ground Beef:

~chop some onion and garlic, (1/2 med. onion, 1 clove garlic)

~cook in a bit of olive oil, (about 1 Tbsp)

~add ground beef (1 lb)

~and a bit of grill seasoning, (1-1/2 tsp)

~cook it up,

~put in a mason jar,

~and plop it in the freezer.

I’ve done the same with

Homemade Simple 5 Minute Tomato Sauce:

~click here for the recipe

~put into mason jar and freeze

I’ve also been buying

Mozzarella Cheese

when it goes on sale:

~shred it,

~then freeze it.

When I have a freezer full of these things, Homemade Pizza is a snap, and so delish! I can’t tell you the difference between homemade pizza and frozen store bought pizza. I had no idea until I started making my own!

I wanted to make our pizza more fun and portable, so when I saw these Pizza Rolls at Tammy’s Recipes, I knew I would copy her technique. These were a hit, especially with kids.

~Roll out the dough about 1/8 inch thick.

~Sprinkle with garlic powder, Seasoned Ground Beef, and Cheese

~Roll up

~Slice

~Put into a greased pan

~Bake 350 degrees about 15 minutes or until golden on top.

*You could bake these, then freeze and reheat for an easy snack.

*I recently used this same technique, but instead of seasoned ground beef and mozzarella cheese, I used seasoned taco meat and cheddar cheese, dipped in a sauce made of salsa mixed with sour cream. They were awesome!!

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