Apr 20

Cucumber-Basil Dressing

There are many ways to make this cool and refreshing dressing. I like this one when paired with fresh tomatoes, because you get a little crunch from the cucumber slices. Now that summer is close and the tomatoes will be juicy and delicious, serve a platter of fresh tomatoes slices dressed with Cucumber-Basil dressing at your next bbq and enjoy!

Cucumber-Basil Dressing2 C. peeled, seeded, and thinly
sliced cucumbers
1 tsp. salt
3/4 C. Greek yogurt
3/4 C. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. finely grated sweet onion
1/2 Tbsp. finely grated garlic
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
1/4 C. whole buttermilk
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Toss together first 2 ingredients; drain in a colander 30 minutes. Whisk together yogurt and next 9 ingredients. Stir in cucumbers; let stand 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 2 days.

Makes about 4 cups

Apr 13

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

When I was little we always loved it when Mom would serve creamed corn. Once you take a bite of this creamed corn, which is made with fresh corn, you will not look at the canned product the same. One tip used in this recipe, adding the corn cobs in the slow cooker while cooking, I have used in other recipes to infuse as much flavor into the recipe as possible. If you are not cooking for a crowd this recipe is easy to cut in half. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
8 ears of corn, husked
1 C. whole milk
1 Tbsp. sugar
8-oz. brick of cream cheese,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and Pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

Removed the corn off the cobs using a chef’s knife and working over a shallow dish to catch the kernels. Reserve 4 of the cobs. Combine the corn kernels, milk, sugar and cream cheese in the slow cooker. Nestle the reserved cobs into the corn and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Cook on low 4 to 6 hours, stirring at least once during the cooking time. Discard the cobs and stir in the butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.

Yields: 12 servings

Mar 25

Overnight Maple Oatmeal

Refrigerated overnight oatmeal is a great idea for a quick and nutritious breakfast that is ready when you get up. It’s also easy to take with you if you need to eat on the run. I wasn’t sure about eating oatmeal cold at first, but since trying it I make it regularly. Having breakfast ready when you get up is one less thing you have to worry about when things are busy in the morning. Enjoy!

Overnight Maple Oatmeal
2 C. old-fashioned oats
1 C. milk
1/4 C. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 C. chopped walnuts
Assorted fresh fruit, such as
apple, pear and banana

In a large bowl, combine oats, milk, syrup and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Just before serving, stir in yogurt. Top with walnuts and fruit.

Mar 13

Kale Salad

Since I had never eaten a kale salad before, this salad surprised me with how delicious it is. Fresh lemon in every bite, sweetness from currants and crunch from pine nuts. Kale has been shown to be one of the healthiest vegetables around, so I have been trying to add it to our weekly meals. Enjoy!

Kale Salad
1 bunch of kale, rinsed and patted dry
1/3 C. currants, chopped raisins or dates
juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. grated raw Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Chop the kale into small pieces and add to the bowl. Add also the currants, nuts, and Parmesan cheese and toss to coat.

Mar 04

Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado Salad

Fresh, simple and delicious. A great compliment to any protein, this salad is perfect for any night of the week. The reason for soaking the onions in water is to remove some of the bite making them perfect for a fresh salad. If you like olives feel free to add them. Enjoy!

Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado Salad
1-1/2 C. of chopped tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded then diced
1 avocado, diced
4-oz. feta cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. minced red onion, soaked in water
1 handful parsley – about 2 Tbsp, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
8 twists of black pepper from a pepper mill

Chop tomatoes into a medium dice. If using grape or cherry tomatoes just cut in half. Add to a bowl. Peel and seed one cucumber and dice. Add cucumber, avocado, feta, onion, and minced parsley to bowl. Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar and black pepper, and pour over salad. Toss gently so the feta and avocado don’t break up. Serve immediately. If you are not serving right away, keep the avocado aside uncut, and add before serving to prevent browning.

Feb 20

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

What a great combo, honey mustard sauce and pretzels. Now combine those with chicken breast and you have a great dish for dinner. Pretzel crusted chicken with a sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce. Yum! The extra honey mustard makes a great salad dressing also. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken
2 C. panko crumbs
2 C. pretzel crumbs
1/2 C. olive oil
1/2 C. Dijon mustard
1/3 C. honey
1/4 C. water
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C flour

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a large, nonstick baking sheet or roasting pan.

In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

In a food processor or a blender pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs.

In a bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.

Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness using a mallet. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl or dish, put the flour on a large plate and add half the pretzel mixture to a large, shallow bowl or dish ( add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).

Dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off then into the pretzel crumbs patting them on if needed. Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake 16-25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through. Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.

Feb 12

Quinoa Chickpea and Avocado Salad

Simple, delicious, and so go for you! This salad, loaded with protein, fiber and healthy fats, can be a simple lunch, or served as a great side dish. I tend to use red quinoa in my cold salads since I think it has a little more texture to it, but you could use white or black if you choose. Enjoy!

Quinoa Chickpea and Avocado Salad 1 C. quartered grape tomatoes
15-oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 C. cooked quinoa
2 Tbsp. red onion, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, minced (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 limes, juiced
kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1 C. diced cucumber
4-oz. diced avocado (1 medium Hass)

Combine all the ingredients except for the avocado and cucumber, season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Just before serving, add cucumber and avocado.

Yields: 5 cups

Feb 08

Smoked Sausage

This is a great go to dish for us. I reduced the amount of cider vinegar by half from the original recipe. Great as a quick dinner, served with rice and a tossed salad. Enjoy!

Smoked Sausage
1/3 C. chopped onion
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. ketchup
1/8 C. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1-lb. smoked sausage, sliced

In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir in the water, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, paprika, salt, sugar, pepper and hot sauce. Add sausage.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Yields: 4 servings

Feb 02

Homemade Snickers Bar

Do you love a snickers bar? Here is a copycat recipe with only 7 ingredients that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. Chocolate, marshmallow fluff, caramel and peanut butter all make these bars hard to resist. Enjoy!

Homemade Snickers Bar
2 C. semisweet chocolate chips, divided
7 oz. marshmallow fluff
1-1/2 C. Confectioners Powdered Sugar
11 oz. caramels
1 C. dry roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 C + 6 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, divided
1/4 C. heavy cream

Line an 11×7-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Place 1 cup of chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons of peanut butter in a heatproof bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds and stir until smooth and combined. Microwave for a few more seconds if needed.Pour melted chocolate in prepared pan and spread evenly. Place pan in freezer for 2-3 minutes or until hardened.

Meanwhile, in a clean bowl place marshmallow fluff, 1/4 cup peanut butter and powdered sugar. With a wooden spoon or spatula stir until it forms a soft dough. (Can be done in a mixing bowl using dough hook as well). Remove “dough” from bowl and press with fingers on top of chocolate layer. Sprinkle peanuts on top, gently pressing them in.

In a small saucepan add the caramels and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted. Immediately pour over peanuts, spreading it all over with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 5 minutes until set.

In a heatproof bowl, melt remaining chocolate chips and peanut butter. Pour over caramel layer, spreading evenly. Place pan in fridge for 10 minutes until chocolate is set. With a sharp knife, cut into bars.

Jan 08

Crispy Parmesan Baked Potatoes

You are going to love this simple, and delicious side dish. I have been making this dish for a while, but have had a hard time getting a good picture for this posting. They are just so good I wanted to go ahead and share them with you. I will keep working on a better picture. If you’d like you could serve these with sour cream sprinkled with chives. Enjoy!

Crispy Parmesan Baked Potatoes
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
8 small Yukon gold or red potatoes,
cut lengthwise in half
3 Tbsp. butter, melted

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix cheese and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Dip cut-sides of potatoes in butter, then in cheese mixture. Place cheese-side down on baking sheet; drizzle with any remaining butter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.