Feta Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients 

1 3⁄4 lb (up to 2) fresh crisp asparagus
1⁄4 cup olive oil
4 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
1⁄4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 kosher salt, (to taste)
1 black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
1 tbsp (up to 2) fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 oz (up to 4) feta cheese, crumbled
1 lemon, juiced, no seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Heat olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a small pan over low heat until garlic becomes golden and oil becomes fragrant; remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Bend asparagus gently until it breaks at a natural point and discard ends.
4. Toss asparagus pieces with infused olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet (one with a side edge).
5. Season asparagus with salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle asparagus with crumbled feta cheese.
7. Roast at 400F for 12 minutes or until cooked to your liking.
8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and squeeze the lemons over the asparagus, being careful to catch the seeds.
9. Serve hot.




Original recipe found here. 

Creamy Grape and Pecan Salad

I have a potluck to attend tonight and needed something new to bring. The theme is "Summer Salads" and everyone is to bring their favorite... but it seems like everyone always brings the same few things. I wanted to branch out and I found this beauty! I hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs seedless green grapes
2 lbs seedless red grapes
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla until well blended.
2. Add grapes and toss to coat. Refrigerate until serving. Top with brown sugar and pecans before serving. Enjoy!



Original recipe found here.

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I have been trying to find an amazing recipe for sweet potato fries for YEARS and finally found one that I absolutely LOVE thanks to Pinterest! Y'all have no idea how excited this girl is! Guilt free snacking? Yes, please!

Ingredients:

- 2 sweet potatoes (I used 3 to feed my family of 5)

- 1 tbsps olive oil (plus a little more for brushing the parchment paper)

- Sea salt to taste

- Black pepper to taste

- Garlic powder to taste

Directions:

- Pre-heat oven to 450.

- Put baking sheet in the oven to heat up by itself for about 10 minutes. This is a necessary step in getting them crispy.

- Cut sweet potatoes into thin sticks.

- Whisk together egg white, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bowl. Put sliced potatoes in the bowl and coat well with mixture.

- Brush a piece of parchment paper (large enough to cover the baking sheet) with olive oil.

- Put the parchment paper on top of the already-hot baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes and then flip the fries oven with a spatula and bake for another 12 minutes (or until desired crispiness is attained).

Picture and recipe found here: http://healthycrush.com/crispy-baked-sweet-potato-fries/

Fruit Salsa and Baked Cinnamon Sugar Chips

I've never heard of fruit salsa and was intrigued when I came across this recipe. It. Was. Fantastic. If you're looking for something to take a party or a pot luck, this is it!

What you need:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced

6-8 ounces raspberries, cut in half

1 (16 oz) carton strawberries, diced

1-2 TBSP white sugar (to taste)

1 TBSP brown sugar (to taste)

3 TBSP fruit preserves (I used seedless raspberry)

For Chips:

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray

1 cup white sugar

2 TBSP cinnamon

What to do:

In a large bowl, mix all the fruit, sugars and fruit preserves thoroughly and chill for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat one side of each tortilla with butter or cooking spray. Sprinkle each tortilla with desired amount of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cut into wedges and arrange on a baking sheet. If you used cooking spray, spray the tortillas once more. If you used butter, it's not necessary to coat any further. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crispy. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes and serve with fruit salsa the same day (otherwise the natural juices can make mixture runny). This can also be eaten with graham crackers or cinnamon-sugar pita chips. Enjoy!

*Original recipe found here

Guacamole Bruschetta

If you love guacamole, you will love this. A perfect match of creamy and crunchy... it was delicious!

What you need:

A loaf of french bread (I used a long, skinny one found in the bakery section)

1 clove of garlic

2 TBSP olive oil

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice the french bread at a diagonal into 1/2" rounds and place on baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then remove and flip over and toast for another 3 minutes on the other sides. Remove the toasted bread and immediately rub with the clove of garlic. It's almost as though you're grating the clove against the bread. Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed bread with olive oil and set aside. Now mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and spoon on to bread and serve!

*Original recipe found here

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull-apart Bread

If you haven't been on Pinterest yet, I highly suggest you go there immediately. I've found SEVERAL amazing recipes on there lately that I had to try. This bread was apart of a munch-fest some friends and I had and it was AMAZING!!!!

What you need:

1 loaf of unsliced sourdough bread (round is preferable)

8-12 ounces of sliced cheddar cheese

3 oz bag of real bacon bits

1/2 cup of butter, melted

1 TBSP ranch dressing mix (we used regular ranch dressing and it still worked)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp bread knife, cut bread going both directions without cutting all the way through the crust. Place cheese slices between all of the cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits all over the bread, making sure they get between the cuts as well. Mix together butter and ranch dressing and pour over bread. Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; unwrap and bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. ENJOY!

*Original recipe found here

Herb-Roasted Potatoes

These make a great side dish for any meal. They are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, and everyone (including my kids) love them.

¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried marjoram
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
3 russet potatoes (about 2 ¼ pounds), scrubbed (do not peel), cut into ½ -inch cubes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in large bowl. Stir to blend well. Add potatoes to seasoning; toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in single layer. Bake until brown and tender, about 40 minutes, turning potatoes halfway through cooking.

*recipe from my mom

Southern-Style Potato Salad

My grandma made the absolute best southern-style potato salad I have ever had in my life. I've been using her recipe for potato salad ever since I learned how to make it. I've never found potato salad that taste as good as this.

I pretty much just eye ball the measurements, but these measurements should be close. You can always add more of something if you want.

8-10 baking potatoes, peeled and diced into cubes

pinch of salt

1/2-3/4 cup mayo (I use olive oil mayo)

a few good squirts of yellow mustard (this wasn't in my grandma's recipe, but I like it in there)

1/4 cup plus a little more of dill relish

2-3 boiled eggs, diced fine

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a big pot of water to boil. Sprinkle a dash of salt in water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender (I add my eggs in with the potatoes to cook as well). Drain potatoes and put in large bowl. Combine all ingredients and stir until combined well. Serve hot or cold.

"Sheri de Gallo"

My good friend, Sheri introduced me to this amazing version of pico de gallo and I had to give her credit for it. It's become so popular with us, that I had to share it with the world so they could know the joy my mouth feels when I eat this amazing stuff! What's nice is that it's good to eat with chips as you'd expect, but it's also nice to eat over a chicken breast or some rice. If you have a problem getting your daily servings of veggies in, eat this and all your problems will be solved!

1 Can of corn, drained and rinsed
1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
3-5 chopped tomato
1 Chopped red pepper
1 Chopped green pepper
1/2 Chopped red onion
1/4 Cup chopped cilantro
3 chopped avocados
6 TBSP lime juice
2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP olive oil
3/4 teaspoon Cumin
1 TBSP salt

Chop, chop, chop. Throw everything into a big bowl and mix generously. This is the original recipe, but I usually do a bit more lime juice and cumin and cilantro. You can really change and/or add anything to your taste such as jalapeno if you want it spicy or more onion if you want. The possibilities are endless. This is really the best alternative to salsa I've ever had and it's healthy too!

Rachie's homemade mozzarella sticks

Leisa requested this recipe from me, so I had to share! These are fairly quick and very easy to make and more delicious than you can imagine!

What you'll need:
A block of mozarella cheese
Italian style bread crumbs
4-6 eggs
Vegetable oil
Dipping sauce of your choice (ranch, marinara, etc)

The reason there aren't any specific measurements is because I made these on a whim after watching an old boyfriend make them a loooooong time ago. You don't really need any specifics anyway!

What you do is cut the block of mozarella into about 3-4" long, 1/2-1" wide sticks... eyeball it. Beat the eggs in a bowl and roll each stick in the egg until fully covered. After covered in egg, roll in bread crumbs. Repeat dipping in egg and then in bread crumbs once more.

If you have some time, stick the battered sticks in the freezer so they'll stay together a little better in the hot oil. If not, they will still turn out well but you'll need to eat them immediately.

If you have a deep fryer, turn it to 350 degrees and submerge a few sticks at a time for about 10 seconds and remove them quickly. Let them sit on a paper towel to drain a little of the oil before eating. If you don't have a deep fryer, heat oil on the stove top and test one stick by submerging it and then breaking it open to see if the heat is about right to both melt the cheese and to brown the batter.

ENJOY!

Easy Asparagus

I don't know about the rest of you, but I never tried asparagus until I got married. Even then, I was hesitant. Not to mention, I didn't know the first thing about cooking it. My husband has cooked asparagus like this since I can remember ever trying it and it's always been my favorite! I've had asparagus at restaurants and they always seem to serve it a little on the crunchy side (comparable to celery's crunchiness), but I prefer it just a little bit chewier.

All you need is a handful of asparagus (with the blunt ends chopped off), about a quarter cup of soy sauce and about one clove of garlic, minced.

All you do is throw the asparagus right into the pan with the soy sauce and the garlic and pan fry it to your preferred texture. I usually let it fry for about 5-6 minutes. That way it's a little easier to bite into. The less you cook it, the more crunch it will be, but again, that's all based on your preference.

This is the quickest, easiest, yummiest way to eat asparagus in my opinion! Enjoy!

Classic Pasta Salad

You're in luck Am....I just made this for tonight's dinner. I think it is the best Pasta Salad around.

2 bags frozen mixed pasta and veggies (I use Bird's Eye)
2 small zucchini, halved and sliced
1 small carton grape tomates, washed
1 can olives (I like 'em whole, but you could do a couple small cans of sliced olives), drained
1 package of pepperoni, halved
1 small red onion, halved and vertically sliced or diced
About 6-8 medium mushrooms, sliced
1 large bottle Italian dressing (preferably Bernstein's, possibly Newman's, I made my own...recipe below.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add frozen pasta and veggies. Bear in mind that these have already been partially cooked, so they do not need to cook very long--maybe 3-4 minutes. The ONLY way to ruin this salad is to cook the pasta too long. Drain and rinse. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, grape tomatoes, olives, pepperoni, red onion, and mushroom slices. Add pasta and veggies. Toss to combine. Add Italian dressing and combine thoroughly. Chill for at least 4 hours or up to 3-4 days. Serves 10-12.


HOMEMADE ITALIAN DRESSING
1 c. canola oil
1/4 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (add more if needed)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 cloves garlic
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese (either fresh or from a can)

In a blender, combine vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, mustard, salt, seasoning salt, black pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Blend. While blender is running, slowly add oil in a steady stream. Turn off blender and add Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Pulse blender 2-3 times and that's it!

Chicken Party Rolls

3 oz Cream Cheese, softened
2 Cup Chicken, cooked & cubed
1 4oz Can Chopped Mushrooms
2 pkg Crescent rolls (8 in each pkg)
Lay out crescent rolls. Mix other ingredients. Put about a Tbsp on each roll and roll into a ball. Roll balls in cornflake crumbs or dressing mix.
Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Serve with cream of mushroom sauce.

Cream of mushroom sauce
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Cup Milk
Mix and heat

Coconut Pecan Sweet Potatos

3 c. mashed sweet potato
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. butter
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt

Bake sweet potatoes in oven until soft, then peel and mash. Add butter first, so it will melt, and then the other ingredients and mix well. Pour in oven safe pan/bowl.
Top with below recipe and bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Topping:

1 c. coconut
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. melted butter
Melt butter. Stir in other ingredients and sprinkle over top of potato mixture

I've been making this for Thanksgiving for about 4 years now....everyone loves the yummy topping and it's WAY better then the canned version with marshmallows!!

Pot Stickers

Wonton Filling

1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
Coarse salt

6 ounces ground pork, not all lean

3 scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Wontons

24 rectangular (3 1/2-by-3-inch) or square wonton wrappers

1 recipe Wonton Filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 scallions, finely chopped (optional)

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, for serving

In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Wrap cabbage in a double layer of paper towels; firmly squeeze out excess liquid. Return cabbage to bowl; add pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix well with a fork. Refrigerate leftover filling up to 2 days.

Work with one wrapper at a time, and keep the rest covered with a damp towel. Spoon one rounded teaspoon of filling in center. With dampened fingers, wet the four edges. To make a triangle, fold wrapper in half over filling, making sure the ends meet and filling is centered; press edges down firmly to seal.

Moisten one tip on long side of triangle. Then bring together both tips on long side, overlapping them slightly; press tips together to seal.

Fold remaining top corner back. Transfer to an oiled plate; cover with a damp towel to keep moist. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half the wontons and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Carefully add 1/2 cup water (oil may sputter), cover, and steam until translucent and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and wontons. Sprinkle pot stickers with scallions, if using, and serve with soy sauce.