Summer Snack

Thought I would share a little recipe with you that is perfect for those hot summer days when you don't feel like cooking but want something delicious. It looks pretty and comes together in about 10 minutes! Pair it with a crisp glass of white and you've got "happy hour."  Enjoy!

Fruit & Cheese Crostini

1 whole wheat baguette sliced
1 Peach cut into thin slices
Strawberries thinly sliced
Blue Cheese thin sliced or crumbled
Meyer lemon olive oil (see below)
Raspberry Aged Balsamic (see below)
Fresh ground pepper

Simply brush the bread with olive oil and toast in the oven on 400 until golden. Top with blue cheese and fruit and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with pepper and your done!

I have also done this recipe with goat cheese instead of blue and it came out great, and feel free to mix up the fruit with whatever is in season!

Good olive oils and vinegars take this simple snack to the next level. I was gifted these delicious ones and have since become addicted! The flavors are subtle and bright and perfect for salad dressings, marinades, and dipping. To purchase these or some other delicious flavors from Fiore click HERE

Tropical Banana Bread

So it's that time of year when you start craving the fresh tropical flavors of summer, but also need something warm and comforting since it's still cold for many of you. This recipe will satisfy all of those things. It's easy and delicious and definitely a staple in my house (I seriously make it about once a month to feed the addiction of a certain someone, lol) and something I'm somewhat famous for with all my friends, hehe. The recipe below makes two loaves or you can switch it up like I sometimes do and make one loaf and a batch of muffins. If for some crazy reason you don't care for the tropical flavors of pineapple and coconut you can leave them out and mix in something else like chocolate chips for a more decadent bread or just make it plain and traditional. Enjoy


Tropical Banana Bread

1/2 cup margarine softened (I use margarine, but you can use butter)
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
3-4 extra ripe bananas (the blacker the better)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups of flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. of baking soda
few pinches of cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl whisk together flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In another bowl (I use a really large bowl because this recipe makes a lot and you don't want it spilling everywhere) mix butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time until well mixed, scraping down bowl as necessary. Next mix in vanilla and milk. Gradually add flour until well mixed.

Next peel bananas and mix them in (I don't mash my bananas ahead of time as most recipes traditionally call for because if they are soft enough it's not necessary and I like to have some chunks).

Fold in coconut and pineapple until combined. Spray loaf pans and divide batter into pans. Sprinkle coconut in a line down the center (this step just makes it look pretty).

Bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 mins, depending on your oven, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and enjoy!

Red Raspberry Martinis

I made these the other night when we were watching the Oscars. I called them my "Red Carpet Ready" martinis, lol. I know I'm a dork. But they truly were delicious and perfect for any occasion. Hope you enjoy!

Red Raspberry Martini

1.5 oz of raspberry vodka ( I like Ciroc Red Berry)
Juice from half of a lemon
1 packet of splenda
About 8 raspberries
1/2oz to an 1oz of apple juice (depending on how you strong you like it)

Muddle the raspberries with the lemon juice and splenda. Add ice, vodka, and apple juice. Shake and strain. Garnish with frozen raspberries or strawberries if you want. Simple as that!

Thanksgiving on the Side

When it comes to my Thanksgiving feast I like to keep it very traditional with all the recipes I grew up with, however, last year I dared to try a few new ones. (They're adapted from the ever faithful Martha Stewart so I knew I'd be ok, hehe.) They were a lighter twist on two familiar favorites, but I promise you won't even notice. Now believe me, I'm a firm believer in NOT counting calories on Thanksgiving cause really what's the point, but I promise these recipes are even tastier than the regular version and might give you the excuse you need to have another piece of pie! Enjoy!


Creamy Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
*My version is adapted from this version, but I hold the mushrooms since I don't like them and make a few small changes*

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds green beans, trimmed (I like fresh extra thin ones)
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 cup) (make extra because trust me you'll snack on them!)
• 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• Flour
• Lemon zest (optional but I like the tang it adds)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Soak shallots in milk in small bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile,  heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat shallots in flour and carefully pan fry in oil in batches if need be. (They'll cook really quick so keep an eye on them.) Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
3. Whisk together stock and cornstarch. Add to skillet, stirring and cooking on low heat until thick, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt, lemon zest to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; and fresh pepper. Toss in beans and 3/4 of the shallots. Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining shallots. Keep warm to serve.

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Chicken Sausage

*adapted from this recipe*

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into small cubes (7 to 8 cups) (I like to use a mixture of different types of whole grain and wheat bread. Heals and leftover day old bread works great!)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8-9 oz of chicken sausage, casing removed (I like the sweet apple one by Alfresco brand)
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dried out, about 8 minutes. Let cool. (This step is important so make sure your bread is totally dried out)
2. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, breaking up meat with a wooden spatula, for 4 minutes. Stir in celery, garlic, and onion. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Combine bread, sausage-vegetable mixture, stock, egg, parsley, thyme, and sage in a large bowl. Transfer stuffing to an 11-inch oval baking dish. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn on broiler. Uncover stuffing, and broil 9 to 10 inches from heat source until top is golden brown and crunchy, about 1 minute. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

YUMMMM!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

What says fall more than pumpkin? This yummy ingredient has come a long way since plain old pumpkin pie and I just can't get enough of it! This past weekend I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and they were delish so I thought I'd share! I made mine with Halloween decorations, but  how perfect would they be topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cute faux leaf for your next fall get together or even Thanksgiving?! Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I used 1.5 sticks instead and it worked great)
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• 8 oz package of cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 3-4 cups of powdered sugar
 

Directions

Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Combine cream cheese with about 2 cups of powdered sugar mixing well. Continue to add more powdered sugar until desired thickness.  Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes. If not serving right away refrigerate cupcakes to keep frosting firm.

Tip: Add decoration on top of cupcakes right before serving so colors don't bleed into frosting.

Tangy Tomato Salad

I have long loved the traditional tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad for it's simplicity, but I've been yearning for a twist. I made my own version this weekend and it was delish! Serve it as an appetizer or as a light lunch with crusty bread. Hope you enjoy! 

Tangy Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese and Dill

Thinly sliced tomatoes
Goat Cheese
Fresh Dill
Olive Oil
Lemon
Salt & Pepper

Simply arrange tomato slices on platter and top each one with goat cheese and a few sprigs of fresh dill. Drizzle with some olive oil and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with salt & pepper and refrigerate for about 10 minutes before serving.

Slender Caesar Salad

What's not to like about a classic Caesar salad? It's great for your labor day cookout or any night of the week! Try my lighter version adapted from my Mom's recipe.


Croutons

What You'll Need:

Bread
Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper

Heat oven to 400. Cut bread into chunks and spread out on a foil lined baking sheet. Spritz or brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle them with the garlic & onion powder, s & p. Toss to combine and bake until golden. 


Note: I recommend older bread that's a bit too dry for sandwiches. I also like to mix it up with white, wheat, heals, rolls, pitas, whatever you have sitting around! 


You will want to make extras because trust me you'll be snacking on them while you're cooking!




Dressing

What You'll Need:


1 container of Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
Splash of Worcester sauce
1/3 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dijon or brown mustard
1 or 2 garlic gloves minced (depending on preference)
2 tbsp. half and half (more if you prefer thinner dressing)
Salt & Pepper

Put all ingredients into bowl except parmesan and whisk to combine. Once combined add parmesan and stir until mixed. Voila your done!


Note: Feel free to add more or less of certain ingredients depending on your preference. For example I like more lemon. 




Salad

What You'll Need:

Romaine lettuce chopped
Diced tomato
Croutons
Dressing
Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper

In a large salad bowl toss lettuce with dressing. Add tomatoes and sprinkle on some parmesan and toss again. Add croutons and gently toss. Top with fresh ground pepper and garnish with lemon wedges if desired!


Notes: I like to wash and cut the lettuce first and let it sit in fridge wrapped in paper towel before I make dressing and croutons so it's nice and crisp when it's time to use. 


You'll probably have extra dressing so it's great in a chicken caesar wrap the next day!


Serving

How pretty would it look in one of these bowls!

Alessi harmonic basket: Velocity

Natural horn bowl: Jayson Home

Umbra ensalada wood bowl: Velocity

Sunday night comforts

Ever since I was young, I remember Sunday's as the day to relax, hang out, and just enjoy doing nothing. We usually would eat a big lunch after church so Sunday night dinner was simple and low key. Our go to was grilled cheese and tomato soup, a classic comfort that I still love to enjoy. Last night I amped up this duo with some homemade rustic touches, but I promise it's still simple enough to whip up without interfering with your lounge time. 

Homemade chunky tomato soup

1 large can of diced tomato

1/2 cup onion chopped

1 carrot diced

1 celery stalk diced

2 garlic cloves chopped

1 1/2 cups cups chicken broth

1/2 cup cream

1 bay leaf

fresh basil chopped

olive oil

salt & fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 400. Drain canned tomatoes with small strainer into a bowl reserving liquid. Spread out tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped basil. Roast in oven for about 15 minutes. (Once they're done roasting set aside 1/2 cup of tomatoes.) Meanwhile in a pot saute onion, carrots, and celery with olive oil until softened. Add garlic and saute for about 2 more minutes. Once that's done, add reserved liquid, chicken broth, all but 1/2 cup of tomatoes, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper then cover and simmer for about 30 mins. Remove bay leaf and cool soup for 10 mins before carefully transferring to blender. Puree until smooth then return soup to pot. Add reserved tomatoes and cream, stir, and heat until warm.  Spoon into bowls and top with fresh pepper. 

Mini grilled cheeses with bacon

French bread sliced

Cheddar cheese sliced

Bacon

Butter

Cook bacon until crispy. Butter bread slices and assemble sandwiches with sliced cheese and bacon in the middle. Grill in pan until golden.

Pair with this and you've got a comfortable night in.