Roasted Sweet Potato Fries and Guacamole

Some of you know that for the past 30 days I have been doing the Whole30 diet.  I have LOVED it and will definitely be doing it in the near future. (But I gotta celebrate my birthday first!!)  You see, this girl has a really hard time with her sugar habit!  It's hard to break.  During the 30 days you don't consume added sugars of any kind, no sweets, treats or even "healthy" treats. (And there's other stuff too.)

While some may think it's super restrictive, which it kind of is, that totally works for me.  You see I just finished reading Gretchen Rubin's, Better Than Before, which is mainly about habits.  There are basically two kinds of people when it comes to habits; moderators- those who are good with having just a little, which keeps them from going overboard, and abstainers-those who, if they have just a little, it will push them overboard, leading them to overindulge.

I am an abstainer, that is why this works for me.  I also know it's not forever.  It's meant to be a reset diet, to help target food sensitivities, heal the gut and break free from a bad relationship with food.  Although I am done with my first round, I'll definitely be back for more.  I don't think my body is done yet, but I do need to take a break for a while.  Hopefully in the meantime I can keep up most of the habits, while still being flexible.

So, are you wondering what the heck this has to do with sweet potatoes and guac?  Well this is probably one of my most favorite things I made during Whole30.  The fact that fat was not the enemy and I could eat LOTS of avocado totally made me happy! This guac is out of this world.  And, what's not to like about sweet potatoes?  Granted, they're not crispy like regular fries.  In fact they're kind of floppy and I actually ate them with a fork.  But that may be because I can't cut fries worth a darn, HA! So, Whole30-ers or not, there's nothing not to love about this combo.



Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Guacamole
for the sweet potatoes:
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into wedges
olive oil
salt
smoked paprika

for the guacamole:
3 good-sized avocados, halved, pitted and peel removed
1 lime
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. Restaurant Style Salsa  (or your favorite, fresh is best!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
*1 Tbsp. jalapeño, minced (In you choose a different salsa and need a little more kick.)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with silicone baking mat, if desired. In a mixing bowl, toss sweet potato wedges with a couple drizzles of olive oil, a few dashes each of salt and smoked paprika, until well-coated.

Lay out evenly on baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. About halfway through, take them out, loosen them with a spatula and give them a little shake.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, mash the avocados and place them in a serving bowl.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, allow to cool slightly.  Serve warm with guacamole.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from No Crumbs Left

Lemon Cream

So, I was shopping at Costco the other day and this bag of Meyer lemons caught my eye.  I've never tried them before although I've been hearing about them for years.  Since they were pretty cheap I grabbed a bag and figured I decide later what to do with them.  I got a lot of great suggestions from friends, some of which I'll be trying soon,  but I also searched the interwebs high and low for something to make that was worthy of my time. Let me tell you friends this lemon cream is it!

WOWWY!!  No I know that not every loves lemon perhaps as much as I do, but wow, this is just the best.  It's not too sweet and has a lovely lemon flavor and luscious creamy texture.  You'll seriously want to put it on everything.  Try it on pancakes, waffles, crepes, on fruit, over ice cream, the sky is the limit!  It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up, so definitely worthy of my time.


Lemon Cream
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a heat proof mixing bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, lemon juice and zest.  Make a double boiler by setting the bowl on top of a medium saucepan with a few inches of water in the bottom.  Heat over medium high heat.  Cook mixture, whisking often, until it starts to thicken and become pudding-like; about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted.  Set in an ice bath until cooled then stir in the heavy cream.

Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.



SOURCE: The Grant Life

Steak and Blue Cheese Salad

You guyyyyyyys! I can't stop eating this salad. It is my new absolute favorite.  And because it only has like 5 ingredients, besides the dressing, you can blink twice and it's basically done.  Ok, maybe a few more times than that.  But, seriously, like 5 minutes tops.

When it comes to ANYTHING beef, I always turn to Pioneer Woman first, because her hubby is a cattle rancher and they like live and breathe beef. If you've never tried her Perfect Pot Roast, I strongly urge you to.  It is heaven on a plate; best roast I have ever had. Ever!

So, after you get everything prepped, throw the dressing together. It's a little tangy, a little sweet, a little gingery and goes perfectly with beef. You will use some to marinate the meat and the rest you'll just want to slurp up eat it on salad practically every day 'till it's gone. 


Steak and Blue Cheese Salad
2 steaks (Ree suggests rib-eye or strip steaks, I just get whatever looks good)

for the dressing/marinade:
3/4 cup light olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper

for the salad:
lettuce mix (whatever floats your boat, I like romaine and arugula or just arugula)
cherry tomatoes, halved
thinly sliced red onion
about 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (or more if you want leftovers)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine all the dressing ingredients together in a mason jar. Twist on the lid and shake vigorously.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Place steak in a zip-loc bag and add about 1/3-1/2 of the marinade.  Seal and marinate in refrigerator for about 2 hours.

When you're ready, preheat grill and cook steak over medium-high heat about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on how pink you want it.  Remove from heat and let it rest 5 minutes.  Thinly slice steak across the grain.

To assemble salads, place a large handful (or more) of lettuce mix on each plate.  Top with a good handful of tomatoes, sliced onion and a couple tablespoons each of blue cheese and pecans.  Lay the sliced steak on top of everything and add dressing as desired.



SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman

Tilapia with Coconut and Macadamia Breadcrumbs and Mango Salsa

Right after making this tilapia a while ago, I began concocting a new recipe in my head.  I loved how the fish tasted cooked in coconut oil and thought a tropical twist would be just as delicious. And I was right!  I loved adding the sweet coconut and salty, crunchy macadamia nuts to the bread crumbs.  It made such a wonderful contrast in flavor as well as texture.

Fish is great to make for a weeknight meal since it cooks up so quickly and there is usually not much prep.  I usually like to serve fish with rice and for this meal used my Thai Coconut Rice, which I think paired perfectly.  Start the rice before you get to work on the rest and it'll all finish around the same time.

Tilapia with Coconut and Macadamia Breadcrumbs and Mango Salsa
for the fish:
4 fresh tilapia fillets
1 1/2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil
salt/pepper
3 Tbsp. sweetened flaked coconut
3 Tbsp. cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. macadamia nuts, chopped

for the salsa:
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1/4 red onion, finely diced
1/2 jalapeño, finely diced
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped (or more, if desired)
the juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all salsa ingredients in a small mixing bowl.  Stir to combine and set aside while the rest is being prepared.

Add breadcrumbs and coconut to a small skillet over medium heat and toast until golden, about 3-4 minutes; add macadamia nuts the last 30 seconds or so.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil and melt.  Season tilapia with salt and pepper. Add tilapia to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes per side, or until slightly golden or opaque. Remove from heat sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Serve warm with mango salsa and Thai Coconut Rice, if desired.


SOURCE: Salsa from How Sweet It Is

Minted Yogurt Dipping Sauce

If you can't tell I've been in a mediterranean mood lately, with the hummus, naan and now this yogurt dipping sauce.  I acutally made and ate them together and had it for lunch for several days.

I can't remember how I came across this recipe, but I had some fresh mint leftover in my fridge that I needed to use up so I went searching. I wasn't sure what to think when I saw the list of ingredients but I had everything so I went ahead and made it.  I made it right after I made my first batch of hummus and flat bread so I put it all together.  Wow, what a great combination! The salty, chewy hummus and flat bread went perfectly with the fresh and tangy sauce.  I bet it would even be great with some lamb or pork.  The recipe only makes about a cup so if you're serving it to company I suggest at least doubling it!

Minted Yogurt Dipping Sauce
2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves (about 1 small bunch)
1 cup loosely packed cilantro (about half a bunch)
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup pain Greek yogurt
1 tsp. raw honey
pinch of salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
drizzle of olive oil


Place everything in a food processor with a chopper blade and process until well blended. Store in the refrigerator.

Hummus

I'm so happy to finally have a hummus recipe that I love and is quick and easy to throw together.  I know it's not rocket science and there's about a bajillion recipes out there for hummus but this one's a keeper for me.

I have recently had this obsession with Trader Joe's Organic Hummus, which is so good if you have never tried it.  Every time my hubby goes into Salt Lake I plead with him to stop at Trader Joe's for me to pick up a few key items, hummus being one of them. Sadly though, we don't make it there far enough, haha, so I decided it was time to make my own, and spend a fraction of the cost!


Hummus
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 15-oz canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)-drained
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add sesame seeds and cook until lightly browned. 

Put everything in the blender in order listed.  You may need to pulse it a couple times to get it going.  Let blender run until it reaches desired consistency.  If you want to thin it out a little, add either water or olive oil about a tablespoon at a time.  Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. 

Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies.


SOURCE: Blendtec

Lentil Veggieballs with Lemon Pesto Dipping Sauce

A couple weekends ago my girls and I stayed with my high school aged sister for an extended weekend while my parents were out of town.  While discussing what to make while I was there I happened to come across these lentil "veggieballs" and decided to ask my sister if she even liked lentils.  When she replied whole-heartedly that she loved them I knew I would be in good company if I made these, so on the menu they went!

 I'm so glad we decided to try them, they were delicious.  And the lemon pesto...wow!  Lick the plate good.  Such a great condiment for the lentils.  These veggieballs are great served warm, along side a nice dinner salad.


Lentil Veggieballs in Lemon Pesto
For the veggieballs:
2 cups cooked lentils, cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 large carrot, diced
1/2 onion, diced
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel seed, crushed
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2/3 cup breadcrumbs

for the lemon pesto sauce:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup pinenuts
zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 cup packed basil leaves
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan
2 Tbsp. water to thin

Wash 1 cup dried lentils then place them in a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until tender.

In the meantime, prepare the pesto by combining pesto ingredients in a food processor with a chopper blade.  Process untiil smooth, adding oil or water as necessary to desired consistency.  Scoop out into a containter with a tight fitting lid and set aside.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan.  Add onions and carrots and saute over medium heat until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

Once lentils, onions and carrots have cooled, place them in a food processor with a chopper blade and process until smooth and well combined.  Remove to a mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Make balls by using a small scoop to scoop out lentil mixture.  Place closely together on a baking sheet.  Brush with a little olive oil then place them in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden.  You can turn them half way so both sides are a littl golden, but I didn't.

Serve warm with lemon pesto.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Restaurant Style Salsa

If you are still looking for something else to add to your spread for the big game day, look no further.  You will definitely be on the winning team if this salsa is around.  And believe me, it won't last long!

Considering that it's the middle of winter and there is not a ripe garden tomato in sight,this salsa is about as good as it gets.  The key is using good quality canned tomatoes, like Cento or San Marzano, that have a nice, ripe tomato flavor, then adding the fresh ingredients that are available.

If you like your salsa on the smoky side, this is delicious dressed up with a pinch or two of some smoked paprika or chipotle chile powder. 


Restaurant Style Salsa 
1 can (28 Ounce) good quality whole tomatoes with juice (like San Marzano or Cento)
2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies) 
1/4 cup chopped onion 
1 clove garlic, minced 
1 whole jalapeno, finely minced (or half if you don't like it too spicy)
1/4 tsp. sugar 
1/4 tsp.salt 
1/4 tsp. ground cumin 
1/2 cup cilantro
juice of 1 lime
pinch of smoked paprika or chipotle chile powder, if desired

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor.(Note: This makes a large batch so if you don't have a large food processor, blend in batches then combine everything in a large bowl.)  Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.


SOURCE: Pioneer Woman

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I'm not a huge football fan.  Not because I don't enjoy watching it or love the "rush" of the game, but because we haven't been able to watch sports on T.V. for years since we don't have cable anymore.  And gone are those college days when my hubby and I actually attended sports events.  But after I had kids I became such a home body...I know I'm kinda boring.  But I do love food and I love to feed people!!!

With the Super Bowl coming up next Sunday, you're going to need something under your belt to feed a crowd.  Not only is this SUPER tasty but SUPER easy as well.  I have made it so many times for my husband's work parties and there is NEVER any left.  If you love buffalo-flavored anything, you're doing to die when you taste this dip.  Don't leave it off your Super Bowl Menu!!  Your guests will thank you and will be begging you for more!


Buffalo Chicken Dip
makes about 4 cups

8-oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 cup Bleu Cheese Dressing (below)
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken

Cook chicken and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, shred and set aside.

In microwave safe mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce and cheddar cheese. Cook on half power at 2 minute increments, stopping to stir and combine, until cheeses are melted and combined.  Stir in shredded chicken.  Place in a small crock pot about an hour before serving to get hot and bubbly.  If you do not have a small crock, you can also place dip in a shallow baking dish and bake at 375 degrees F for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Stir again right before serving.  Serve with choice of dippers:
celery sticks
carrot sticks
sliced bell pepper
tortilla chips
Frito corn chips
crackers


Bleu Cheese Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
4 oz crumbled bleu cheese
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk and vinegar until smooth.  Fold in the bleu cheese crumbles.  Keep refrigerated until use.


SOURCE: Dip adapted from How Sweet It is, dressing from Williams Sonoma.

Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce

I know Thanksgiving is already over, but it's still the season to eat all things fall and Thanksgiving-ish if you ask me.  Cranberry sauce is such a great accompaniment to many dishes and it's so incredibly simple to make.  It practically makes itself!

I actually made this sauce to go with some turkey enchiladas we were having.  Let me tell you, this is much better than the stuff in the can. I love the hint of orange you get with the zest and freshly squeezed juice.  If you're not a fan of cran-orange things though, you can just use all water and leave out the zest.

If you're making something sweet the sauce, it would be delicious dolled up with some warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  On the other hand, if you're using it for a savor dish, try adding some jalapeno or chipotle to it!

Fresh Orange Cranberry Sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
juice and zest of 1 orange
4 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

Put everything in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sauce will thicken upon cooling.  Serve warm or chilled.


SOURCE: Two Peas and their Pod

Apple Walnut and Feta Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

This is the perfect salad for fall and embraces many of those flavors I love! If I had to pick a component I love best I would definitely say the vinaigrette because I think the dressing totally makes the salad and this one is divine.  It's light and fresh and only slightly sweet, perfectly complimenting the salad. 

I do love everything about the salad though, it is a perfect combination from the sweet-tart and chewiness of the dried cranberries to the crispness of the apples and the soft and saltiness of the cheese.  All together it is one great salad.  I made extra vinaigrette so we can keep this salad on hand for a while.


Apple Walnut and Feta Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
For the salad:
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 large apple, sliced and chopped (I used golden delicious)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled (can also substitute another soft, salty cheese such as queso fresco)

Chop lettuce and place in a large salad bowl.  Layer the rest of the ingredients on top in the order given. Serve with raspberry vinaigrette.

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup raspberries (fresh or unsweetened thawed frozen)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix everything in a blender and blend until smooth.


SOURCE: Vinaigrette from Giada De Laurentiis

Fresh Spaghetti Sauce

I've been home canning my own spaghetti sauce for years.  I love gathering the last of the tomatoes in the fall and filling up my jars that line my pantry throughout the winter until next year.  The first sauce I used to make was from a dry mix, and although I loved it, it wasn't my husband's favorite. So, the last few summers I've been trying different recipes, searching for "the one." 

The last couple years I made this Tomato-Basil Simmer Sauce which I actually do love, but I also wanted a sauce that was more substantial, something that would stick to the noodles without running off.

 This, my friends, is "THE ONE," the very sauce I will can for the rest of my existence! Ok, well maybe not that long, but I think my search is over. This recipe uses fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes, but also uses just a little canned tomato sauce and paste which allow the sauce to thicken without cooking it to death, thus preserving that fresh tomato taste (and not keeping you in the kitchen all day).

I love the sweet bell peppers in this sauce.  I chose to use only about half green pepper and the rest red.  I find the green ones have a more bitter taste, but any other colored ones (yellow, red or orange) work perfectly. I think next time I will replace all of the green pepper with a different color.

This recipe makes roughly 12 cups, 6 pints.  If you're not a canner, you can also freeze the sauce in 2-4 cup portions in zip-loc freezer bags or freezer safe plastic ware. You could also just half the recipe for short-term use.

Fresh Spaghetti Sauce
makes about 6 pints
 
8 cups vine-ripened tomatoes (best from the garden), peeled and chopped (about 10-12 large)*
2 cups onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups sweet bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. canning salt (if you don't have canning salt, just salt to taste)
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. fennel seed
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
16 oz. tomato sauce
12 oz. tomato paste

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Blanch and peel tomatoes.  Pulse in blender until desired "chunkiness" and set aside.  Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot and add chopped onions and peppers.  Saute over medium high heat about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, garlic and the next 8 ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.

To can sauce you must use a boiling water bath canner.  Pour hot sauce into hot jars.  Wipe mouth of each jar clean and place a lid and ring on each jar, only screwing lid to finger tightness. Process pint jars 15 minutes.

*To blanch and peel tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill the sink with cold water.  Using a knife, serrated works best for me, score the tomato by making an "x." Place as many tomatoes in the pot as will cover the bottom in ONE layer.  Boil for 60 seconds, then ladle them out and immediately put them in the sink filled with cold water. Continue with the rest of the tomatoes.  

You will notice the skins already starting to peel off where they have been scored.  Slip off the skins, they come off easily, and core them and place them in a blender or food processor to chop or puree, whichever you prefer.

Make sure you do enough tomatoes to equal 8 cups, chopped.

Double Bean Burgers with Avocado-Basil Cream

Haha, I'm so proud of myself for pulling off this meal with my kids. I hijacked their normal burger and replaced it with this delicious and flavorful double bean burger and they weren't even the wiser! My oldest daughter even told me how yummy it was and ate most of it as well.

I had to give my husband the "ojo" across the table to make sure he didn't spill the beans about the beans in the burgers. Cause I know if my girls got one wiff of the fact that there were beans on those buns instead of a "real" burger, they for sure would have turned up their noses at it and not eaten another bite. Luckily the man caught my drift and we were safe.

I have actually been wanting to make bean burgers forever. I've bookmarked many many recipes, only to delete them thinking it would be a waste of my time because no one would eat them but me. I finally got up the nerve when I saw this recipe. They looked yummy and flavorful, but to tell you the truth the basil avocado cream totally SOLD me. Anything with basil and I SWOON.

Truly this does make a delicious and light burger and it's a great addition to any repertoire of meatless meals.

Double Bean Burgers
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 large egg
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 whole grain buns, toasted if desired

In a large bowl, mash beans with a potato masher or fork. Add in the rest of the ingredients, using only 1 tablespoon of the oil, and mix thoroughly to combine, bringing it together with your hands if needed. Separate the beans into 6 equal sections and form patties.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil (or as much as you need). Add burgers and cook on each side until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove and serve with avocado cream on whole wheat buns.

Avocado-Basil Cream
1 avocado
1/3 cup mayonnaise
10 basil leaves, chopped
pinch of salt and pepper

Mash the avocado, then mix with the mayonnaise to combine. Stir in the basil leaves and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve over bean burgers.


SOURCE: Slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Berry Balsamic Basil Sauce

So, if you remember last week I was talking about using up a whole bunch of fresh basil in like a day or two. I tell you, I love that stuff and I can't seem to get enough of it, especially when summer rolls around. I think I added it to every meal I ate one day last week. I was on the prowl for any way to use it.

As soon as I got it in my head to mix balsamic, basil and fruit for an ice cream topping, I couldn't not wait to make it. I have been loving this stuff ever since, and I daresay, more than chocolate! Now that's saying a lot.

This would be perfect to share at a family or friend gathering. It would make any plain old bowl of vanilla ice cream shine like a superstar! And, it's just in time for national ice cream month.

Berry Balsamic Basil Sauce
12 oz. berries (I used half blueberries and half strawberries; frozen is fine)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Put everything, except basil, into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 5 minutes. *Using an immersion blender, puree fruit in sauce and continue boiling until sauce has reduced and thickened a bit; about 5-10 minutes longer. Sauce will thicken upon cooling.

When sauce is done cooking, add fresh basil and allow to cool. Pour into container with a tight-fitting; mine fit perfectly into a half-pint mason jar. Store leftovers in the fridge.


*If you don't have an immersion blender, you may want to puree the fruit before you begin cooking.


SOURCE:Slightly adapted from Oh, She Dabbles

Italian Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

So, I recently had a birthday. For once, it took me a while to decide what kind of cake I wanted to make, but I had no problem deciding what I wanted to make for dinner. It was easy, anything and everything with fresh basil! I swear that stuff is completely intoxicating to me. I love the smell, I love the bright taste and how it perfectly accents so many dishes.

Salads are one of my most favorite things to eat for lunch or dinner and I especially love making my own dressings to go with them. So as part of my meal, I decided to make this Italian salad with a basil vinaigrette. The salad itself, although wonderful, is pretty traditional, but the vinaigrette is brilliant! What better way to get that basil-y goodness jam-packed into every bite than to whiz it up in the dressing? I loved it, slurped it and doused my salad in it. De-lish!


Italian Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
For the salad:
1 head romaine lettuce
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
2 tomatoes on the vine, (sliced, diced or chopped)
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
olives (black or kalamata)
croutons (optional)
grated Parmesan cheese

For the vinaigrette:
Handful of basil leaves (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp sugar, to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Prepare the salad ingredients and place in a large salad bowl, topping with croutons and grated Parmesan cheese.

To prepare the vinaigrette, you can do it one of two ways. Most of the time, I like to just put all my ingredients in a small mason jar, put the lid on and shake it up. However, I wanted the basil to be chopped up more than a rough chop so it would be more evenly distributed throughout the dressing, so I put it in my little Cuisinart and blended it up real well.

Serve over salad. Enjoy!


SOURCE: For the Love of COoking

Homemade Dulce de Leche

I love, love, love Mexican food and am so excited about Cinco de Mayo this weekend that I've planned my whole dinner menu this week with almost all Mexican food. I've also got a bunch of Mexican recipes to throw your way to get you in the mood too and give you some ideas if you're like me and love to celebrate.

The first is this dulce de leche. I'm sure most of you have heard of it. It's a dessert sauce, almost like caramel, sweet and creamy. I'm not sure if it's typical in Mexico, but I know they eat it all over South America and I ate it by the kilo when I lived there, so I'm going with it.

This is one dessert sauce you will never want to live without, especially when you find out how easy it is to make. There is one, and only one ingredient: sweetened condensed milk. Now, I know you can do this in your crock pot without ever taking it out of the can, but man, I just can't wait that long. This'll take you just over an hour from start to finish, and you 'll be enjoying this over cake, ice cream, or just by the spoonful (my favorite way)!

Homemade Dulce de Leche
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Open the can of milk and pour into a shallow baking dish, like a pie plate. Cover tightly with foil. Make a water bath by placing the shallow dish in a larger dish; a roasting pan works great. Fill the roasting pan with water until it reaches about half way up the smaller dish. Bake for about an hour, then lift the foil to check the color. If it's not a caramely brown color, let it bake another 15-20 minutes.

Remove pans from oven and transfer dulce de leche into a jar with a tight fitting lid-I used a canning jar. You can let it cool some before doing this but don't wait too long or it will start to set and get too sticky and messy to scrape out of the pan.

Enjoy warm or chilled.

Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Salad

This little salad has easily become one of my new favorite quick and easy dinners. It's kind of funny because it's also the salad that got my two older girls to eat sweet peppers. I had brought home a big bag of mini sweet peppers one day, primarily for this salad, and they thought they were the cutest thing and just ate them whole! Now they love them.

You can tackle this salad in the time it takes the tortellini and chicken to cook, making it ideal for a soccer night or any weeknight for that matter. I use fresh baby spinach as well as a little fresh basil, which makes the flavor just pop! Fresh basil can be pricey if you don't know what to look for. Sometimes grocery stores will carry small, unpackaged bunches that are near the fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro. That seems to be the least expensive that I have found, but I have also found a living basil plant that comes with roots, which you can keep for a while at home. Of course, the easiest and most definitely least expensive would be to grow your own in your garden or even on your window sill.


Balsamic Chicken Tortellini Salad
For the salad:
1 7-10 oz. package cheese tortellini (or multiple smaller packages)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded thin if they are thick)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sweet bell peppers, seeded and diced
fresh baby spinach, chopped (about half a 10-oz bag)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

For the balsamic vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the vinaigrette, put all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake to combine. Add about 1/3 of the vinaigrette to a zip-top bag. Add the chicken and marinate for 1-2 hours. When it's time to cook the chicken, remove it from the zip-top bag and discard the marinade. Cook either on indoor grill pan or outdoor grill. Once cooled, chop into bite-sized pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to boiling and cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain and cool.

While the chicken and tortellini are cooking, chop the veggies and greens and add them to a large salad bowl. Add cooled chicken and tortellini. Toss with remaining dressing and parmesan cheese.

Greek Pasta Salad

Ok, it's probably time I threw in something healthy again, you know with it being the new year and all. I don't know about you but my attempts to keep away from sweets are just not working!!! Maybe it's the whole having a baby thing and those extra 300 calories a day I need in order to feed baby. We do eat rather healthy at mealtimes, it's just those times in between that get me. A girl needs her chocolate you know!!

Anyway, I digress. On to this salad. I love salads. I love Greek food. Pasta is good. This is a great combo! My sister brought a similar pasta salad to one of our family dinners over the holidays and I had been thinking about it ever since. I knew it would be something that the whole family would eat and enjoy; not always an easy task with a toddler and preschooler to please. When I came upon this recipe and looked at the dressing ingredients, I realized it was pretty much the same dressing I use on my Greek Panzanella, which I love, so I knew the flavor would be spot on.

We ate this as is, meatless, for our whole dinner, although it would be fabulous with some roast chicken shredded on top (YUM!). I love that this only took about 10 minutes to prepare (almost a necessity these days). I made the dressing, then while the pasta cooked, I chopped veggies.

Greek Pasta Salad
For the salad:
1 pound gemelli or other short pasta
1 cucumber, peeled and diced (about half-inch pieces)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced (or more if you like)
1 can black olives, drained (halved, if desired)
3 cups firmly packed baby spinach
feta cheese, crumbled

For the Greek Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp.Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup olive oil


To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil until well combined. Set aside. (This can be made ahead of time)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, or as label directs. Drain, rinse under cold water and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients, all but the feta. Toss with dressing and crumble feta over the whole salad or each individual salad.


SOURCE: myrecipes.com

Thai Chicken Pizza

I absolutely could not wait to share this pizza with you. It was so incredibly delicious and quite unique too. If you love Thai food, this is right up your alley. The pizza has pretty typical toppings found in many Thai dishes: carrots, red pepper and cilantro. And the sauce....oh the sauce!!! Let's just say I could swim in it and slurp it up all day. It's the most amazing thing ever. I found myself using the leftovers for pasta, dipping veggies, and as a salad dressing.

I threw this together rather quickly on some Indian Naan bread. It makes a fabulous lunch or a speedy weeknight dinner.

Thai Chicken Pizza
4 Indian Naan bread
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 red pepper, julienne
2 green onions, chopped
1-2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
sweet chili sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the Thai peanut sauce and set aside. Gather the veggies and chop them up accordingly. In a small bowl, toss the chicken with a little sweet chili sauce.

On each piece of Naan, spread about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce. Layer with chicken, peppers, onions, carrots and cilantro. Top with a small handful of cheese. Bake about 7-10 minutes.


Thai Peanut Sauce
1/2 C peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
2 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
2-3 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce
2-4 Tbsp. water

SOURCE:Pizza adapted from Budget Bytes and sauce adapted from Our Best Bites

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These Chicks Cooked @ This Chick Cooks

Hot Fudge Sauce

What better way to start off a Monday morning than with chocolate right? I have been making things from scratch for my family for quite a while, and I am still trying hard to do as much as I can, and more, from scratch so I know exactly what goes in to our food.

Making condiments, like sauces, syrups, salad dressings and spice mixes, is not any harder than making a home cooked meal. In fact, in my experience so far, it is fairly easy, takes a minimal amount of time and usually the ingredients are not hard to find. You may even have them on hand in your pantry. I can't remember the last time I bought salad dressing or a seasoning packet for my meat.

This chocolate sauce is one of those things that I will never buy again and always make at home. I think the taste is FAR better than anything you can get in the store anyway. I have made it several times recently and let me tell you, it doesn't last long at our house. I've even snuck into the fridge a time or two and eaten it right off a spoon!!!

Hot Fudge Sauce
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 12-oz can evaporated milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat. Gradually add evaporated milk and powdered sugar. Blend well and bring to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.