Caprese Pasta Salad

Since I posted the recipe the other day of the Caesar Pasta Salad I thought I'd share another one of my family favorites. I created this a few years back and it's one of our favorites to take for picnics in the park. It's simple and makes great leftovers as well. For the freshest leftovers leave the cherry tomatoes whole as if their cut they don't stay as crisp. If you plan to not have leftovers it's nice to have the tomatoes sliced in half.





Caprese Pasta Salad
1 lb penne, cooked
1 lb chicken, cooked and chopped
3 cups cherry tomatoes (whole or chopped)
1 cup fresh basil chopped
1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella (in water, you can also use the little bocconcini, sliced in half)
1 bottle your favorite Italian Dressing
Mix all together.
Refrigerate
Enjoy

Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail

I use this blog to not only share my favorite recipes, but also as my own "recipe book." I'm able to find recipes my family loved and make them again, it's also a great way for me to menu plan. In this case, I'm posting this recipe not only because I had numerous requests but also next year at this time when my favorite juice comes out I'll know exactly where to find the recipe for probably my all time favorite cocktail. Tell me this doesn't look amazing....because it is! And for this recipe I have to give my husband credit for the creation of this, I told him what I wanted and he executed it perfectly. We make the best team!

Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail
4.5 oz Watermelon Cucumber juice (from Trader Joes)
1 oz Triple Sec
2 oz Vodka
squeeze of fresh lime
shake in cocktail shaker
Enjoy!
Repeat!

Caesar Pasta Salad

I know it's technically Spring, but I can't help but start craving Summer food.  I seem to do this every year, I start thinking about concerts in the park and late nights at the Zoo. About summer nights spent grilling and watching movies in our front yard. I love a good pasta salad, I love that it not only travels well for events, it's versatile and it makes great leftovers (of course that's if you don't eat it all).
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is it is the perfect combination of pasta salad and a green salad. We made this last night and I pictured eating it for lunches this weekend, but sadly we ate every last bite.


Caesar Pasta Salad
1 lb cooked chicken, chopped
1 lb penne pasta cooked
2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 bottle of your favorite Caesar dressing (I love the TJ's brand)

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.
Enjoy!

Coconut Flax Scones

What I love most about this scone recipe is how versatile it is. I've used this same scone recipe, and probably have created over 100 different variations. I use what I have in the house and every time the scones turn out so good. Yesterday's addition of coconut and flax made one of our all time favorite. The great thing about this is you can personalize it for what your favorite flour, milk and flavors. The recipe is so basic you just change up for what sounds good to you at that time. Frozen raspberries, frozen blueberries, chocolate chips, coconut, flax seed....anything you can imagine. Next time I make this one I'm going to use canned coconut milk as my liquid, I know it will bring these even more amazing.

Scones
2 cups flour (I love using cake flour, but you can use AP, coconut, almond, whatever your favorite type of flour is)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
1/2 cup milk of any sort coconut milk, almond, soy, half and half...(may need a little more, for right consistency)
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup flax seed

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda
Cut in coconut oil (or butter), until crumbly
Add vanilla bean paste, shredded coconut and flax (or whatever additions you've chosen)
Now add 1/2 cup milk, you may need to add a little extra.
Cook in round greased pan @ 425 for 15 minutes

Spring Salad

I created this salad while I was pregnant and couldn't get enough pepperoncini's.  I wanted something fresh and easy, with things that I typically always have in my fridge. After making it the first time I knew it was a keeper and I couldn't get enough. There were times that I would eat this everyday for lunch. I mixed one up the other day having not had it in a while and posted the picture of my salad to Facebook and got people immediately requesting the recipe. I figured I should share it with my fans here as well! It's an easy recipe seeing that you just chop up the ingredients throw them in a bowl and eat.


Summer Salad
Fennel
Tomatoes
Salami
pepperoncinis
hard boiled egg
avocado
feta
a drizzle of balsamic
green onions

Chicken Flautas

I'm always looking for new recipes to throw into our menu planning, something that I can alter to go in crockpot is a bonus, but not a must. I found a recipe that I could do just that.
These turned out so good and it was quick and easy too.
I started by cooking the meat in the crockpot all day so when it was time for dinner all I had to do was prep and throw everything in the oven. Took me all of 10 minutes to prep and getting everything in the oven and ready to eat 15 minutes after that, perfect for those nights where you need something quick before the kids start to meltdown.





Chicken Flautas
1 lb chicken
1 jar favorite salsa (I love the Salsa Verde from Trader Joes)
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese
7 flour tortillas
To garnish:
Guacamole
Sour cream
Green onions
Cilantro
Salsa

Place chicken, frozen corn & jar of salsa in crockpot
Cook on low 6-8 hours
Remove mixture from crockpot, add sour cream and 1/4 cup shredded cheese, stir
Butter the bottom of a 9X13 pan
Warm tortillas for 30 seconds in microwave to help make them easier to roll
Place tortilla in bottom of pan, fill with a few tablespoons of filling and roll
Do so for all other tortillas
Brush the top of the flautas with melted butter
Cook in 400degree oven for 13 minutes
Take out of oven, sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese
Put back in oven for 2 minutes

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, green onions and cilantro.
Enjoy

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

I was looking to branch out, try a few new recipes, mix things up a bit. I can usually read a recipe and know pretty quickly a) if my family would like it and b) how to change it up a bit, if needed. I came across a recipe for Cabbage rolls, honestly never in my life had I had one before, but the ingredients definitely sounded like something that we would like. However I did dread the idea of "rolling the filling into the cabbage." So...I thought on it and realized I could get all the same great flavors out of recipe without having to roll each cabbage leaf individually. So last night we tested my recipe and I will tell you it was fantastic. So good that I don't even have a picture to share, before I knew it we'd eaten the whole batch. So instead I'll share the recipe with you and urge you to try it.

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium head of green cabbage, chopped
1 lg can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup bone broth (or chicken stock if you don't have bone broth)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

In large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat, add ground beef & onion
Stir ground beef until browned
Add garlic and cook for another minute
Add chopped cabbage, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bone broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper
Bring to boil.
Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until cabbage is tender

We served over rice. It was delicious.

My go to meatloaf

Growing up we never had meatloaf, my brother hated it so my mom stopped making it. I think my brother hated it because my mom didn't have my recipe.  I'm not even sure how I really stumbled upon making meatloaf, especially since I didn't have it growing up more than a handful of times. I think the recipe came to me one time I was making meatballs for our favorite crockpot wedding soup recipe. I thought I'd try it and it was a hit, so now I'll share it with you.


My go to Meatloaf
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup bread crumbs
4 green onions, sliced
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt & pepper

Topping
4 tbsp brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup yellow mustard

Mix all meatloaf ingredients together
Place in greased loaf pan
Mix topping ingredients and evenly spread on top of meatloaf
Cook @ 350 degrees for 1 hour
Enjoy!!!

Crockpot Carnitas

I am always looking for new crockpot recipes. I've tried so many at this point I feel like there's nothing "new" to try anymore.  I came across this recipe that just spoke to me, and I felt like I had to try it. I am so so glad I did as it was so moist and tasty and I can see it being transformed into different meals other than just Carnitas.
It's almost too simple, 4 ingredients in the crockpot for the most amazing carnitas. That's it, 4!


Crockpot Carnitas
2 lb pork roast
5 slices bacon
2 bay leaves
salt

Line the bottom of your crockpot with 3 slices of bacon
Place the 2 bay leaves on top
Sprinkle salt on your pork roast and place on top of bacon and bay leaves
Place the last 2 slices of bacon over the top of the pork.
Turn slow cooker on low, cook 4-6 hours (could go 8 and still be moist)
Remove meat from slow cooker and shred with two forks
Place back into crockpot juices and stir up.

Serve with corn tortillas, cilantro, green onion, guacamole, salsa, sour cream....your favorite taco toppings.

Artichoke Barigoule

This recipe may seem intimidating but it really makes an amazing soup, especially if you like artichokes. If you've never prepared an artichoke you'll quickly learn once you have done one artichoke the others are easy. 

Artichoke Barigoule

2 cups water

2 cups dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup olive oil

6 artichokes (small artichokes are best)

2 lemons (halved)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped fennel

2 cups chopped onion

3 tbsp minced shallots

2 tbsp minced garlic

3/4 tsp salt

bouquet garni: parsley, thyme, bay leaf tied up in cheesecloth

1 salt packed anchovy filet (optional)

In large bowl put aside water, wine, stock & 1/2 cup olive oil

Prepare artichokes: Peel the outer leaves from artichokes, peel stem to remove outer fibrous layer. Cut off spiny tips from leaves, cut artichokes lengthwise and remove chokes (the hairy part you see inside the heart of the artichoke).
Immediately put in water with a squeeze of lemon juice.

In a large stock pot, heat 1/2 cup olive oil with carrots for 2-2 1/2 minutes then add fennel, cook another 2-2 1/2 minutes

Add onion, shallots & garlic cook 4 additional minutes

Add artichokes (heart down)

Sprinkle with salt cover and cook for 10 minutes

Add bouquet garni & bowl of water, wine, chicken stock & olive oil

Cook on a low simmer for 15 minutes

Chop anchovy and add to soup

Cook another 15 minutes or until there is no resistance to artichoke heart