Arugula and Spinach Pesto Pasta Salad

1 pound of Cellentani pasta (one of my favorites!)
1 cup of roasted tomatoes (Wegmans Olive Bar!)
1 cup mini mozzarella balls
1 can of marinated artichoke quarters (cut in half again)


Cook pasta, add tomatoes, artichokes and mozzarella balls.  

Pesto:  (give or take ingredients to your liking... I never really measure, so this is just a guess of what I used :) )
1/2 bag of arugula and spinach mix
1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves (Wegmans Olive Bar!) or roast 2 heads of garlic with olive oil for 1 hour
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. pine nuts


Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Mix well with pasta and veggies.


This is a new favorite and very healthy...minus the pasta!  ENJOY :)

Grilled Naan Pizzas

Grilled Naan and Hummus Pizza:


1 whole wheat Nann Bread
Roasted Garlic Hummus (1/4 to 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup Peppadews (Wegmans olive bar!)
1/2 cup roasted tomatoes (Wegmans olive bar!)
fresh basil leaves; cut/torn


Brush olive oil on bottom of Naan bread. Spread hummus over Naan bread.  Place pepadews and roasted tomatoes on hummus, top with basil.  Grill for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.  Eat immediately!  SO GOOD!


Grilled Naan with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarlla Cheese Pizza:


1 Garlic Naan Bread
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced and seeded
1 shallot; diced
handful of fresh basil leaves
fresh mozzarella sliced thinly
salt and pepper


Brush olive oil on bottom of Naan bread.  Mix tomatoes with salt, pepper and shallot.  Top with basil and mozzarella Cheese.  Grill for 5-10 minutes on medium heat.  Eat immediately!  Enjoy every bite!

Potato Salad with Cilantro Lime Pesto

1 bag of small red potatoes

green beans

2 medium tomatoes

1 lime

1 bunch cilantro

olive oil

1 shallot

salt and pepper

1 tsp. honey

Cook potatoes, blanch green beans in water for last minute potatoes are cooking.  Let cool for 20 min.
While cooling, in a food processor add: shallot, 1/4 cup olive oil (or a little less), salt, pepper, a good hand full of cilantro, honey and the juice of 1 lime.  Mix until smooth!
Cut up tomatoes into small bite size pieces.  In a large bowl, add potatoes, green bean, tomatoes and mix well with pesto.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

 YUM!

12 cupcakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon table salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature

½ cup sour cream

1 large egg , room temperature

2 large egg yolks , room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Baby Shower Display!

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.

3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick of butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 TB. milk

powdered sugar (3-5 cups; depending upon weather and consistency you desire of frosting

Beat together all ingredients.  Add more powdered sugar or milk as needed.

I find that using a gallon size bag and cutting the corner off does just the trick for pipping frosting.  

Enjoy! Savor every bite!

Southwestern Turkey Burger

 

• 1 lb ground turkey breast (1 package)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 teaspoons, 2/3 palm full, ground cumin
• 1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne hot sauce, several drops (I used Franks)
• 2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend 
• olive oil, for drizzling
• sliced pepper jack cheese
• fresh wheat rolls
• lettuce

Preheat grill or grill pan.  Mix first 9 ingredients together.  Form patties, but don't mix the meat too much or will get tough.  Heat through, make sure it is not pink in the center.  Melt pepper jack cheese on top.

Top with lettuce.

Enjoy :)

Baked Chicken, Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Wrap

Another easy meal you can whip up any day of the week!

2 chicken breasts; 1 can artichoke hearts in brine; 1/3 cup of sun dried tomatoes; 2 TB olive oil; 1 tsp. Italian seasoning; 2 TB dry white wine; 2 TB chicken broth; salt and pepper; spinach pesto wrap; shredded parmesan cheese (top with before serving)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a baking dish, drizzle olive oil.  Place chicken in dish, drizzle the remainder of the olive oil on the chicken.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the chicken along with a dash of fresh cracked pepper and salt.  In the dish add white wine, chicken broth, artichoke hearts (drained), and sun dried tomatoes.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Heat up wraps and grate parmesan cheese while chicken is baking.  When ready, slice chicken into thin bite size strips.  Place in wrap with artichokes and sun dried tomatoes, top with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy :)