PASTA SALAD
1 red onion-quartered & separated
1 basket cherry tomatoes-halved
1 jar hot pepper rings-drained, saving one tablespoon
2 sticks pepperoni-sliced
1 block sharp cheddar cheese
1 bottle Italian Salad Dressing
1 bag tri-colored pasta
Cook pasta al dente & drain.
Mix in large bowl all ingredients but the Italian dressing.
Mix pasta in the veggies, etc.
To this mixture add approx: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 caps red wine vinegar, 2 pinches garlic, 1 pinch of oregano, fresh ground pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon hot pepper juice.
Mix, then add Italian dressing and toss.
It is a family recipe.
Date: July 26, 2022.
Chile-Coconut Watermelon Crudo
Chile-Coconut Watermelon Crudo
1 small (6-pound) seedless watermelon
2 cups fresh coconut water (from 2 coconuts) or bottled coconut water
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest plus 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, divided
2 tablespoons thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
3 medium fresh green Thai chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced, divided
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted flaked coconut
2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots (such as Maesri)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro stems
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Directions
Step 1
Cut watermelon into 12 (3- x 2 1/2- x 1/2-inch) wedges with rind attached; set aside. Reserve remaining watermelon for another use. Stir together coconut water, lime juice, ginger, 2 sliced chiles, and 1/2 tablespoon sugar in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Place watermelon wedges in dish in a single layer; cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Step 2
Just before serving, remove watermelon from marinade; discard marinade (or strain and reserve for cocktails). Arrange watermelon on a chilled serving platter; drizzle with olive oil. Top watermelon evenly with coconut, fried shallots, and remaining chile slices.
Step 3
Stir together cilantro, flaky salt, lime zest, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle over watermelon. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead
Watermelon can be marinated up to 8 hours or overnight.
Notes
For a refreshingly cold bite, chill the serving platter in the freezer for 15 minutes before plating the crudo.
Date: June 12, 2022
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND HALLOUMI SKEWERS
GRILLED VEGETABLE AND HALLOUMI SKEWERS
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces cherry tomatoes
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
1 1/2 cups baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
1 cup whole radishes, halved
1 zucchini squash, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper, for sprinkling
8 to 12 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks
olive/grapeseed/coconut oil spray or drizzle
PISTACHIO PESTO
1 cup shelled pistachios
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves torn
1/2 cup fresh arugula
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup finely grated pecorino romano cheese
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
EQUIPMENT
skewers
INSTRUCTIONS
The key to the skewers is making sure your vegetables are all roughly around the same size. I like to look at the size of my tomatoes, radishes and halved baby potatoes, then chop the onions, zucchini, mushrooms and peppers accordingly. You just want them roughly all the same size! If anything, you want the potatoes slightly smaller and the tomatoes slightly larger. The potatoes will take the longest to grill, and if you wish, you can par boil them ahead of time.
To par boil the potatoes, place them in a pot of cold water and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 to 8 minutes until they are slightly softened.
Then… skewer! There is no rhyme or reason to skewering. I like to do 1 or 2 potato halves, 1 or 2 radish halves, 1 or 2 potatoes, and in between all of that, your stacked peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini. I skewer roughly 12 to 15 pieces of vegetable on each skewer. Some pieces, like the peppers and onions, require a stack of 3 or 4 slices together. These veggies should make roughly 8 large skewers, give or take a few veg pieces depending on how you slice them. You may notice in the photos I skewered a few pieces of radicchio too. It tends to burn quickly so I wouldn’t recommend it.
To make the halloumi skewers, skewer 4 to 5 pieces halloumi on each skewer. I find that 1 halloumi skewer is perfect for 2 veggie skewers!
Preheat your grill to medium heat for at least 15 minutes. You want the temperature around 350 or 400 degrees F.
Brush or spray your vegetable skewers with an olive oil or even a coconut oil spray if you wish. Sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. You can also brush or spray the halloumi, but it does not need salt.
Place your vegetable skewers directly on the grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, rotating 3 to 4 times so each side of the skewer gets nice and charred.
Place the halloumi skewers directly on the grill. Grill for just 1 to 2 minutes per side, until grill marks appear.
Serve the veg skewers with the halloumi skewers and the pistachio pesto. Enjoy!
Note: you can make the vegetable skewers a few hours ahead of time, except for the potatoes. You can add them on the skewer right before making. You can also make the pesto a day or two ahead of time!
PISTACHIO PESTO
Place the pistachios, basil, arugula, oregano, garlic and cheese in a food processor. Pulse and blend until the nuts are coarsely chopped, then with the processor on, stream in 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add a little more if necessary, depending on how “spreadable” you want your pesto to be. Taste the pesto and add in the salt, blending once more. This will make a little extra pesto than needed, so store it sealed tightly in the fridge for up to a week.
https://www.howsweeteats.com/2019/05/grilled-vegetable-skewers/
Date: June 12, 2022
Gazpacho
Gazpacho
Ingredients
4 Servings
½ English hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded
½ large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded
2 pounds very ripe red tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into ½-inch wedges, 3 tablespoons seeds reserved
½ large shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tablespoons (or more) sherry or red wine vinegar
Flaky sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Quartered cherry tomatoes, chopped chives, and grilled or toasted country-style bread (for serving)
Preparation
Step 1
Cut 2" of the cucumber into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving; coarsely chop remaining cucumber and place in a large bowl. Cut one-quarter of the bell pepper into ¼" pieces and set aside for serving; coarsely chop remaining bell pepper and add to bowl with chopped cucumber. Add tomatoes to bowl and toss with shallot, garlic, 2 Tbsp. vinegar, and 1 Tbsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to let flavors meld.
Step 2
Transfer tomato mixture along with any accumulated juices to a blender. Add 3 Tbsp. oil and purée on medium speed until smooth; season with salt and vinegar, if desired. Strain through a coarse-mesh sieve into a large bowl or pitcher and chill until cool, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Divide gazpacho among bowls. Top with cherry tomatoes, chives, reserved cucumber and red pepper pieces, and tomato seeds; drizzle with oil and season with salt. Serve with bread alongside.
Do Ahead: Gazpacho can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/summer-gazpacho
Date: June 12, 2022
Aioli Deviled Eggs
Aioli Deviled Eggs
6 hard-boiled eggs
3 Tbsp. garlic aioli
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Chopped, fresh dill
1. Slice eggs in half, placing yolks in medium mixing bowl.
2.Mash egg yolks with a folk, then use a spoon to combine with aioli, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon or pipe mixture into egg white halves. Garnish with fresh dill and enjoy. Refrigerating any leftovers.
Recipe from Kroger.
DATE: APRIL 3, 2022
Chilled Asparagus Salad
6 quarts water
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
32 stalks small to medium-size green asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
2 lemons, juiced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
I like asparagus al dente, slightly crunchy. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Add salt until it tastes like mild seawater. How will you know? Take a little water with a spoon and taste it, then add the sugar.
Prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl, large enough to hold the asparagus, with cold water. Add some ice cubes. Plunge the asparagus into the ice bath before cooking. This will help to bring any limp stalks back to life. Remove from the ice bath, plunge them into the boiling water and allow them to cook, 2 to 3 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water, transferring them immediately to the same ice bath. Allow them to sit in the ice bath for a few minutes, swirling them gently in the water to assure they are all cooling quickly in the cold water.
The most important step for this dish? Drying the stalks once they are removed from the ice bath. Taking care that no water gets into the final salad is the best way to assure that the maximum flavor will be enjoyed! Transfer the asparagus to a large plate or platter lined with a kitchen towel and refrigerate.
In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir to blend.
Whisk in the olive oil in an even, steady stream. When all of the oil has been integrated, taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
When ready to serve, remove the kitchen towel from the asparagus and simply toss the asparagus in the dressing to coat them completely. Arrange the stalks on plates and serve.
DATE: MARCH 13, 2022
Garlic Shrimp
Serves 3 to 4
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 garlic cloves)
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 pound shrimp, 16 to 20 count, peeled, deveined and tail left on
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 4 lemon wedges
1. Melt butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and chili flakes; cook and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add shrimp and a pinch of salt; cook and stir until shrimp is pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Stir in parsley, and plate with lemon wedges.
Date: March 13, 2022
Easy Garlic-Lemon Scallops
Easy Garlic-Lemon Scallops
Ingredients
• ¾ cup butter
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 pounds large sea scallops
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Step 1
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add scallops, and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque.
Step 2
Remove scallops to a platter, then whisk salt, pepper, and lemon juice into butter. Pour sauce over scallops to serve.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 6
DATE: FEBRURAY 8, 2022
3 Ingredient Valentine’s Day M&M Fudge
3 Ingredient Valentine’s Day M&M Fudge
Ingredients
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups white chocolate or vanilla chips
• 1 bag Valentine's Day M&M candies
• optional: sprinkles
Instructions
1. Line an 8x8 inch pan with wax paper or nonstick foil and spray with cooking spray. In a medium sauce pan, add condensed milk and chocolate (or vanilla) chips. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring throughout, until smooth.
2. Gently stir in M&M candies (reserve about 1/2 cup). Pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved M&Ms onto mixture, gently pressing into fudge (if you want to add sprinkles, do it now!).
Allow to cool at room temperature overnight before cutting into squares. (You can also put it in the fridge to speed up the process!) Store in airtight container.
Notes
Store in airtight container at room temperature up to three days, or chilled up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Calories: 225 kcal, Carbohydrates: 31 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 16 mg, Sodium: 62 mg, Potassium: 185 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 31 g, Vitamin A: 95 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 138 mg, Iron: 1 mg
Prep Time: 5 MINUTES
Cook Time: 10 MINUTES
Total Time: 15 MINUTES
Servings: 12 SERVINGS
DATE: FEBRUARY 8, 2022