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Simple Recipe: Roasted Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

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Enjoy the bounty of your summer garden (or tomato sale at the grocery!) with this simple and flavorful Roasted Grape Tomato Pasta Sauce!

Ingredients:

2 pints grape tomatoes, rinsed (dry with paper towels) – Note: you CAN use cherry tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes, just slice the Romas in half before cooking.

3-4  large whole cloves fresh garlic, peeled

4 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup onion, chopped

2-3 Tbs. fresh sweet basil, rinsed & dried with paper towel, then rough chopped

3/4 cup  chicken broth (or 1/4 cup white wine with 1/2 cup chicken broth)

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: For spicy flavor, add 1/4 t. red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a baking sheet (preferably a jelly roll pan that has low sides) with tin foil.

In a large bowl, place tomatoes, garlic cloves and 2 Tbs olive oil. Mix so ingredients are covered with olive oil. Turn out mixture on to the baking sheet. Place on center rack in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until roasted (I like to get a slightly charred look on the skin, but don’t over cook/dry out the tomatoes!).

While the tomatoes & garlic are cooking, cook the onions in the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil in a large pan. Set aside.

Once tomatoes and garlic are done, remove from oven and place into at food processor or powerful blender. Blend for a couple of pulses, until it is a rough/chunky look (and the garlic is chopped!). Pour blended mixture into pan with onions.

Cook the tomato/garlic/onion mixture for 15-20 minutes. In last 5 minutes of cooking, add the fresh chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. (if including optional pepper flakes, add them at this time.) Makes a chunky, thick sauce that is light – not your regular, bottled sauce!

Serve over favorite pasta with fresh parmesan cheese!

 

 

Summer Recipe: Chipotle Chicken and Rice Soup

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Photo Credit: GimmeSomeOven.com.
Photo Credit: GimmeSomeOven.com.

FACT: In the heat of summer, if you eat something spicy, your body actually cools off.  It may seem counter-intuitive, but it really works!  This spicy Chipotle Chicken and Rice Soup provides just enough kick to get those sweat glands working. Recipe is from GimmeSomeOven.com, a great site to explore for a variety of recipes!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
  • half a chayote, diced (optional-Chayote is a mexican squash. As substitute, you can use 3/4 cup diced zucchini squash)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup canned or frozen whole-kernel corn
  • 3 chipotles in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (Can use rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 2/3 cup salsa verde, homemade or store-bought (recommend Herdez brand)
  • juice of half a lime
  • salt and pepper
  • garnish: diced avocado, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, crumbled queso fresco, additional lime wedges

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapenos and chayote, and saute for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and tender. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute until fragrant.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, corn, chipotles, adobo sauce, and stir to combine. Heat until nearly boiling, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken, rice, salsa verde and lime juice, and then season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm garnished with lots of fresh avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips and queso fresco. Enjoy!

Summer Recipe: Fresh Tomato Tart

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Photo Credit: BettyCrocker.com.
Photo Credit: BettyCrocker.com.

I love the taste of fresh tomatoes in the summer! This recipe, from BettyCrocker.com, uses Bisquick mix to make a tasty and simple tart that tastes like Summer!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound assorted tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
  • 3 tablespoons boiling water
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz)
  • 1/2 cup sandwich spread, mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • 3 medium green onions, chopped (3 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 Preparation:

Place tomato slices in single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray. In medium bowl, cut butter into Bisquick mix, using pastry blender, until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add boiling water; stir vigorously until soft dough forms. Press dough on bottom and up side of tart pan. Freeze 10 minutes.

Bake 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Cool 10 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

In medium bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese, sandwich spread, green onions and basil. Spread over crust. Pat tomatoes dry with paper towels; arrange over cheese mixture. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove tart from side of pan before serving. Garnish with additional chopped basil, if desired.

Cooking With The Kids: Taco Cupcakes

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Taco Cupcakes from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Taco Cupcakes from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
36 wonton wrappers
your favorite taco toppings – salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.
cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet; add the taco seasoning, water and black beans.  Mix and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Spray 18 regular muffin pan cups with cooking spray.  Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup.  Divide half of the taco meat between muffin cups.  Sprinkle half of the cheese over the cupcakes.  Repeat layers – wonton, taco meat and cheese.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.  Top with your favorite taco toppings.

Enjoy!

Simple & Refreshing Watermelon Salad

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Photo Credit: The Fresh Market
Photo Credit: The Fresh Market

When I think of summer and fruit, one of my favorites is watermelon.  I had the opportunity to try watermelon salad for the first time at a friend’s home a few weeks ago – I had never heard of it before! Now I’m sold! Refreshing, light and flavorful, this recipe from The Fresh Market is terrific – the tangy flavor of the feta and balsamic pair perfectly with the watermelon!

 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 medium seedless watermelon, diced
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 8 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, canola oil, olive oil, mustard, honey and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spread 2/3 of watermelon on serving platter. Top with onion, mint and cheese and season with pepper.

Pour dressing over salad and garnish with remaining watermelon cubes.

Excellent with grilled shrimp or chicken.

Simple Recipe: “Get Your Greens” Smoothie

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The “Get Your Greens” Smoothie is the perfect way to incorporate stealth nutrition into your diet (and your kids’!).  Kale and spinach are “hidden” in plain sight, and are masked by the flavors of mango, pineapple, and banana.  You can name this smoothie whatever you want to call it to get your kids to eat it!

Suggestion: Using baby spinach and baby kale greens adds a little sweeter flavor to the smoothie.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup ice
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup pineapple
  • 1 whole, fresh mango peeled and cubed  (or 1 cup frozen)
  • 1 handful of fresh washed spinach
  • 1 handful fresh washed kale
  • 1 cup apple juice
  • splash or two of almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional)

Feel free to add flax seed or other ingredients to add your own take on this smoothie!

Preparation:

Add all ingredients into blender (add ice first).  Blend until smoothie is the consistency you want. Enjoy!

 

If you are looking for the OXO Mango Splitter, Click Here: OXO Good Grips Mango Splitter

Simple Recipe: Summer Salad With Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette

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Photo Credit: BuffyAndGeorge.com
Photo & Recipe Credit: BuffyAndGeorge.com

Combine the best of light, summer eating – Salads and Grilled Meats — and you have this wonderful recipe from BuffyandGeorge.com! (GREAT website with some wonderful recipes!)

This salad makes a perfect cold meal in the summer, AND you get to keep the kitchen cool in the summer! (Well, except for the bacon that you cook in the house! But that doesn’t count!)

Quick Cooking TIp: Pound the chicken breasts to about 3/4 inch thickness for even grilling and faster cooking time.

Ingredients
  • 5 oz package of mixed salad greens
  • 2-4 chicken breasts (depends on how hungry you are)
  • 6 pieces of bacon, fully cooked
  • 1 cup strawberries, sliced
  • ½ English cucumber, sliced in half moons
  • ½ cup mixed nuts and seeds (cashews, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds)
Vinaigrette Ingredients
  • zest and juice of one lime
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder (more if you like it hot)
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • pinch of salt and pepper
  • ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
  1. Pound the chicken breasts with a meat mallet so that they are a more uniform thickness. Lightly coat the chicken with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on the grill until cooked through.
  2. Whisk the lime juice and zest, vinegar, mustard, chipotle powder, honey, salt and pepper together in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking constantly until the dressing is fully emulsified. You could also add everything to a mason jar and shake vigorously until mixed.
  3. Cut the cooked chicken and bacon into bite sized pieces. Toss the salad greens with half the vinaigrette (use more if you like a lot of dressing). Serve the dressed salad topped with chicken, sliced strawberries, cucumber, bacon and smattering of nuts & seeds.
Any extra vinaigrette, chicken and bacon can be put in the fridge for salads another day. Or you can use the vinaigrette as a marinade for chicken or steak!

Simple Recipe: Light Summer Quiche

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QUiche1
Light Summer Quiche Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 eggs, slightly beaten
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup steamed broccoli (optional – use whatever veggie you like)
  • 1/2 cup diced ham (optional)
  • 1 frozen deep dish, 9 ” pie shell

 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie shell on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil (to protect the cookie sheet from overflow).

In a medium bowl, mix together shredded cheese and flour, tossing to coat the cheese with flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix beaten eggs, milk, salt and pepper (to taste). Add the broccoli and ham to this egg mixture; mix well. Add the cheese and gently mix together.

Pour into the pie shell. Make sure to disperse “chunky” ingredients evenly throughout the pie shell. Place in oven for 55-60 minutes until center is set.

Enjoy!

Quiche2

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