Category: FOOD

Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich that is HEALTHY? Whoa!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe3 Comments

Are you looking for something quick and easy, tasty and delicious, that will keep you feeling full longer? Look no further… after reading a blip out of the THE LEAN BELLY PRESCRIPTION book by Travis Stork, MD, this was one of his suggestions for breafast… Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It’s the meal that should be the biggest, lunch a bit smaller and dinner the lightest meal of the day. Not easy in this society, but worth trying when you can!

His suggestion (one of so many great ones): a fried egg on a toasted English muffin, with a slice of Canadian bacon and a slice of swiss cheese.

My version… I used a whole wheat english muffin (called “British Muffins” at Trader Joe’s, thank you TJ for carrying products without soy!! THE ONLY ENGLISH MUFFIN I CAN FIND WITHOUT IT!), one fried egg, 2% extra sharp grated (if you grate it you don’t use as much, but any low fat cheese would be great). I forgot to get Canadian bacon, so I used one slice of (Trader Joe’s nitrate free) bacon.

Toast the English muffin, while bacon and egg cook. Have cheese grated. When egg and bacon are done, get the hot English muffin out of the toaster, slap the egg on one half, top with a sprinkle of cheese, one slice of Canadian bacon or/bacon broken in half, and the top of the English muffin.

YOU WON’T BELIEVE HOW GOOD IT IS! I have a feeling you’re going to be thanking me… sending me cards, flowers, chocolate, WAIT… chocolates? Hmmmm…. ahhhh the pressure!

This is an awesome book, I highly suggest it! It’s easy reading and explains the WHY behind eating well for your health. Click HERE to see it on Amazon.com where you can click to see inside…

HERE is a great review of the book from WEBMD.com, it sums it up.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Recipe for Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes and Basil… You’re going to thank me!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, RecipeLeave a comment

Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes and Basil

Recipe/Image from Cooking Light Magazine and www.myrecipes.com

Ok, I’m going to be a real friend to you right now… I’m going to pass on a recipe that is so good, I’m telling you that your eyes WILL roll into the back of your head when you taste it. You won’t be able to help it. You are going to thank me. Seriously, this recipe is out of this world, and for all the whining that you may do because you have to stir for 20 minutes or so… just know… IT. IS. WORTH. IT! You will be rewarded with the most scrumptious dinner ever. This is nice paired with a simple salad and maybe a baggette. The ONLY thing that I change is that I use about twice as much balsamic vinegar, mine seems to disappear after it’s reduced. And truly try to give it the time to cook until it’s a little thicker. You will not believe how sweet this is, and how much it adds to the dish! I find that when I boil the balsamic viniagrette  in the beginning (as the recipe calls for) it seems to almost evaporate, so I cook it closer to the time I serve… OK folks, this recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine (see, it’s not even bad for you), I hope you enjoy as much as we do! Check out the http://www.myrecipes.com website when you get a chance, always great recipes from some of your favorite magazines (Cooking Light, Southern Living, Coastal Living, Food & Wine, Health etc.).

Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes, and Basil

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 4 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups chopped leek
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, finely diced

Preparation

  1. Place vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4 minutes). Set aside. (Barbara note: this is the step that I do closer to when the risotto is ready to serve).
  2. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Place about 1 cup risotto into each of 6 shallow serving bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon oil.

Mary Alayne Long, Vestavia Hills, Alabama, Cooking Light
SEPTEMBER 2007

Bon Appetit! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Red’s Eats, Wiscasset, Maine… a great “lobstah” roll!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, TRAVEL2 Comments

There is always a line at Red’s Eats. Voted one of the “10 great places to eat regionally, eat well” by USA Today, people are WILD about Red’s lobster rolls… Have you tried a lobster roll before? If so, where is YOUR favorite place to stop? The location of Red’s doesn’t hurt… nestled nicely in Wiscasset, Maine (known as the Prettiest Little Village in Maine). Wiscasset is a wonderful city filled with great art galleries, restaurants, wine and cheese shop (with desserts, sandwiches and soups as well), and antiques! If you find yourself anywhere near Wiscasset, take a ride through, see the wonderful shops, and perhaps stop for a lobster roll!

Click HERE to see how to make the perfect lobster roll… just like Red’s Eats!

Here’s an interesting tidbit about Wiscasset, Maine from the Budget Travel website:

“Prettiest Little Village in Maine”

Wiscasset is a quaint Historic Village on Route One with several Historic homes and buildings from the early 1800’s.  Beautiful waterfront dock on the deepest river in Maine, The Sheepscot River.  It used to be the largest shipping port North of Boston.  Thousands of tourists visit each year to drive up the coast on Route One and walk to the several fabulous Antique Shops and Art Galleries in Wiscasset and neighboring towns. The famous “Reds Eats” voted top 10 places to eat in USA Today,  is on the corner of Water St. and Rt. 1 known for their lobster rolls. People line the streets all summer long to experience this lobster shack.  Boothbay Harbor  and Damariscotta are also wonderful popular spots North of town and not too far off of Route One.  If you continue North on Route 1 to Rockland, ME, home of the popular Atlantic Blues Festival and Lobster Fest each summer.  Plenty to do in this lovely area of Maine not to mention the perfect summer weather from June to September and fabulous leaf peeping in October. 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Every Celebration Deserves a Great Cake! Italian Cream Cake from Cooking Light magazine!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Don’t you agree? Every celebration deserves a great cake! Well let me tell you from experience, this one is a doozy! I originally made this many many years ago when we had a surprise birthday party for our next door neighbor. She was surprised and delighted with the cake. And owie, that cream cheese frosting is too good! This recipe received rave reviews. We have also had this cake on a cruise that we took out of Charleston on the Norwegian Cruise Line… it’s nice that they offered Cooking Light options that were heavenly! I have subscribed to Cooking Light magazine shortly after they first came on the market… Great recipes! If you need a new magazine to check out, I love this one! (Cooking Light recipes may be found on the MyRecipes.com website). Now… for the recipe… then a special Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary message at the end…!

From the MyRecipes.com website:

Italian Cream Cake

This layered Italian Cream Cake is the perfect dessert for a birthday or dinner party because it is moist and full of flavor from the chopped pecans and cream cheese frosting. The stunning 5-star dessert continues to get rave reviews every time!

Cake Ingredients

  • Vegetable cooking spray
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup light butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon butter extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 egg whites (at room temperature)
  • Sugared kumquats (optional)
  • Orange rind strips (optional)
  • Kumquat leaves (optional)

Preparation

  1. Prepare Cream Cheese Icing; cover and chill.
  2. Coat bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans); line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray, and dust with flour; set aside.
  3. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 2 cups flour and baking soda; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans and extracts.
  4. Beat egg whites at high speed of a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Fold egg whites into batter; pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen cake layers from sides of pans using a narrow metal spatula, and turn out onto wire racks. Peel off wax paper, and let cool completely.
  5. Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 2/3 cup Cream Cheese Icing; top with another cake layer. Repeat with 2/3 cup icing and remaining layer, ending with cake. Spread remaining icing over cake. Garnish with kumquats, orange rind, and kumquat leaves, if desired.
  6. Note: To make sugared kumquats, dip kumquats into lightly beaten egg whites, and drain; roll in sugar.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon light butter
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Neufchâtel cheese
  • 1 (1-pound) package powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Cream butter and cheese at high speed of a mixer until fluffy. Add sugar; beat at low speed until well-blended. Add vanilla; beat well.

Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 1995

Recipe and photo from MyRecipes.com website; Photo by: HOWARD L. PUCKETT

*********************************************************************************************

There are several celebrations happening today … My parents 54th wedding anniversary, my sister Bridget and brother-in-law, Bill both had birthdays (a day apart) over the past few days… ! The place has GOT to be festive!

Mom and dad, you are the best and I wish you another 54 happy years together!

Bridget and Bill… H A P P Y   B I R T H D  A Y ! Hope it’s the best ever!  I have no doubt that you will all celebrate well! Love you! xoxo me

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A quick and tasty dessert for a hot blistery day!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

How is this for a nice tasty dessert on a day that is so hot and steamy? The temperatures are brutal throughout the country… so once in a while you need a little treat… something quick and easy, and SOOO good!

I bought some fabulous ice cream cones at EarthFare, they’re organic, I bought these because I didn’t want all the other unpronounceable ingredients… these had REAL ingredients, and they are C H E A P, no sugar and barely a calorie!

That along with some good ice cream and WELLA! A treat that can’t be beat! Sometimes a little cone just makes the day even better! This is a fast and fun dessert that will make your tastebuds smile!

Enjoy!  Catch you back here tomorrow!

Homemade BBQ sauce, easy and so much better than store bought!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

BBQ Sauce ready for the chicken on the grill!

This is a quick and easy BBQ Sauce that is so delicious you simply will not believe it! Recipe from Cooks.com!

These are the ingredients that I used:

I found this recipe on Cooks.com, and I pretty much used it as it was written, omitting one evil ingredient… Worcestershire Sauce. (I had to avoid soy (one alias is ‘natural flavors’) it was so good without it that I still don’t add it… Here’s the link to the BBQ SAUCE recipe on cooks.com (as shown below) so that it’s quick and easy to print (or read below):

BBQ SAUCE 
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. water
1 c. ketchup
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
Melt butter. Saute onion until soft. Add remaining 9 ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes. Makes about 2 cups of BBQ sauce.

I make this recipe, then I split into smaller batches (1/3 cup is about how much we use on two chicken breasts). I freeze each serving in a labeled freezer bag, then flatten out and refrigerate. Once cold pop into the freezer. Then next time you need it you can set it out for a few minutes and it will thaw, then snip the corner and squeeze contents into a dish. Too easy!

Here is the final result… let me tell you, Fred cooked this chicken on the grill to perfection. It was awesome! There is nothing like barbecue chicken on the grill, fresh corn on the cob and a nice crispy salad!

What are YOU making for dinner? Catch you back here tomorrow!

Farm Fresh Tomatoes, Pasta, Italian Sausage & Molly’s Basil = DELICIOUS!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe2 Comments

WARNING: THIS WILL TURN YOU INTO AN ADDICT. A TOMATO-BASIL-SAUCE-ON-PASTA-WITH-ITALIAN-SAUSAGE-ADDICT. Consider yourself warned.

We have been getting THE BEST tomatoes this year. I was inspired to create something new, not the typical spaghetti sauce I usually make, but something fresh and delicious where the tomatoes were the star and I think I did it…

There is no real recipe, use whatever quantities you like. The first time I made this (photo above) I used six large tomatoes. The last time I made it, I made enough to freeze, I used at least 11 tomatoes, big juicy fresh tomatoes from Boone Hall Farms, located in Mount Pleasant, SC. Also, the first time I made it I used penne pasta, which was a good fit, because this is NOT a thick sauce, so the tomato, garlic and onion juices got all wrapped up in the penne quite nicely. The last time I made this I used white whole wheat pasta which has more fiber, and tastes just like white (Barilla is the brand I used)… this sauce is so good we both think we can use it on whole wheat pasta with no problem. So, being the adult that I am, I bought some whole wheat pasta, so next time, we will give it a whirl…

A special THANK YOU to MOLLY WEAVER for the BEST. BASIL. EVER. She grows the sweetest basil I’ve ever tasted and she’s been incredibly generous to share it with me!

TOMATO BASIL SAUCE with GRILLED ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Ingredients:

Fresh tomatoes, at least 6-8 large tomatoes, or as many as you like!

Onion, chopped

Garlic, chopped (or I use a microplane, it’s much faster!)

Fresh Basil, chopped

Olive Oil

Pasta of your choice (my favorite so far was the Barilla white wheat mini penne)

Italian Sausage (I use Al Fresco, Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage, no nitrates!)

Wash, core and chop the tomatoes. Put in a big bowl so they’re ready to go…

Chop the onion (as small or large as you like), grate or mince the garlic (the smaller it is the healthier it is for you).

In a large stainless pan (I use a heavy pan, less likely for the garlic and onion to burn), drizzle some olive oil. Enough to keep onions and garlic from sticking to pan.

Once oil is warm, toss in the onion, once they begin to get translucent, make a little well in the center and toss in the garlic (make sure you still have olive oil, if not add some), cook for ONE MINUTE or until fragrant (on medium heat).

Now toss in the tomatoes… and stir it all around, get the onions and garlic mixed in with those tomatoes and wait until you start to see some bubbling. Then you can turn the flame down to low/med low and put a lid on the pan. (I do not leave the kitchen during this step in case they start to boil over). Let them cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and it will look like you have tomato soup! Take a handheld potato masher and slowly and carefully mash the tomatoes into the juice (you can omit this step if you prefer). Now let it cook with the lid off until it reduces at least an inch… right when it’s about there add the fresh basil, salt and pepper.

Cook your pasta according to package directions… about the same time, throw your Italian Sausage on the grill (I use chicken Italian sausage, oh is it ever delicious!) until done. Then slice thinly. (Note: if you don’t want to mess with the grill you could use scissors and cut the pasta and saute it, but I think the grill adds a nice crispiness to it that goes so nicely with this sauce.)

Scoop out some pasta, add some sauce, top with the Italian sausage and some parmesan cheese.

YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE IT. TRUST ME.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

UPDATE: I’ve made this again since I wrote the original post. I used Barilla Whole Grain pasta (51% wheat), and it was delicious! Thought I bought whole wheat because it was so dark, but noticed when I got home it was whole grain… NEXT time will try whole wheat!

Also… since tomato season is winding down, I’ve been making this and freezing it in batches. I don’t have a lot of freezer space, so this is how I do it.

Chill the sauce in the refrigerator. Then scoop enough (for the two of us I use 3-4 ladles) for one dinner into a labeled quart freezer bag. Put the bags on a cookie sheet and make sure they’re nice and flat. Once frozen, remove cookie sheet. You can store them standing up (like a file) or store flat. When it comes time to defrost, I just set out on the counter OR run under cold water for a few minutes. Because it’s not thick it defrosts quickly. Snip off one of the bottom ends of the ziplock and squeeze contents into a pan to heat. Toss the bag. Easy, right?

Charleston Photo: Bocci’s Restaurant… special memories!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

This is a neat old restaurant located on Church Street in downtown Charleston, SC. It’s where we ate dinner on our wedding night almost twenty years ago! I love this neat brick and the cool awning, it’s a very authentic feeling space. We haven’t been in years, have you? Let me know if you’ve been recently, what did you get? Here’s their MENU. I don’t recognize any of our old favorites from long, long ago…  Strolling around downtown makes for some fabulous photo taking! I’ve seen artists paint Bocci’s and it’s always such a cool painting! Hmmm, Italian food is sounding mighty tasty right about now!

Charleston restaurants have such character…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A Quick & Fabulous Tex Mex Dip!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe3 Comments

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Tex-Mex Dip

I found this recipe in a circular in a newspaper called DASH. They always have interesting stories, recipes, etc… from what I’ve read it’s from Condé Nast and Parade, definitely a good read! One day I’m sitting in the sunroom drinking coffee and reading the paper (HEAVEN!) AND wondering what I’m going to make for dinner because it is literally TOO HOT TO EAT… nothing sounded good to us. Then along came this recipe. We like to refer to it as D I N N E R ! Ha ha… I made a few subtle changes, mainly by cutting the recipe in half, but I left the amount of lime juice. Also, I used low fat extra sharp cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream…I used ORGANIC refried black beans (be careful, so many of them are full of ingredients that won’t make your body happy, like “partially hydrogenated lard”, really. Ugh… good reason to buy organic)

We make it a few hours ahead and let it chill…. oh is it ever good!

Click HERE to print my version of this recipe… at the bottom I will pass you the original recipe…

TEX MEX DIP

1/2-3/4 of a 15.5 oz can refried black beans

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 tablespoon water

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Guacamole made with 1 avocado and a wedge of lime juice (approx 1/2 cup)

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 good large tomato, chopped

1-2 green onions (unless you have it in your guacamole)

Iceburg lettuce cut with a serrated knife (doesn’t turn brown)

Tortilla Chips for serving

(Yield: 2 as a meal or 4 as an appetizer)

My quick step-by-step:

Mix 1/2 – 3/4 can of refried black beans. I’ve found Amy’s brand to be the tastiest, but that’s me… mix the beans with the juice of 1/2 of a small lime and a tablespoon of water if you need it. Spread on a plate.

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Mix the guac that you make with 1 avocado and wedge of lime together with about 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I use low fat)…  (this is instead of spreading the sour cream, and then the guac) – Mix together and spread on top of bean mixture…

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Shred some sharp cheese, cut up some tomatoes… top the guac mixture with cheese and then tomatoes… (you can stop here and cover and refrigerate… then when you need it, do the next step… that’s if you’re making it ahead) we tend to enjoy it more when it’s cold, so this method works for us. If you don’t make this ahead and are going to eat right away, you could add the cheese on top of the guac, then the lettuce and then tomato, it would be pretty that way.

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Sprinkle some chopped green onions (OR you can put red onion, minced in the guac you mix up)

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Top with cut up lettuce (use a serrated knife so the lettuce doesn’t turn brown)

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Dig in… you won’t believe how good it is… mental note, even though I make this ahead and refrigerate and then add lettuce last, I will save some tomatoes to throw on top to make it pretty…

This is too good for words. Seriously!

Click for the original DASH recipe…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

All About Avocado’s and… How To Make A Simple Guacamole!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe2 Comments

A sample dish of Guacamole, oh la la!

We used to go crazy over the guacamole at Whole Foods. Then one weekend they were out of stock… we checked back the next day, still none… what?! OK… so I looked at how to make guac and let me just say, you won’t ever want to buy it again! It’s like making a good cocktail sauce for your shrimp, once you discover that it takes about a minute to make and is much better than ANYTHING you could possibly buy, you’ll never go back. That recipe will be coming soon!

Guacamole is a simple and easy recipe. It can involve as few as TWO (Yes! Two!) ingredients. Keep in mind that you want to choose an avocado that is somewhat soft. A hard avocado won’t taste the same. Keep it out on the counter until it ripens. Read on… this is how I make it…

GUACAMOLE for 2 

1 Avocado

1 wedge of lime

Little bit of minced red onion (however much you like OR none at all)

Scoop avocado out of shell (toss the seed). Add lime and onion. Mix well. Serve with tortilla chips.

It really doesn’t need salt because you have tortilla chips, however, if you have unsalted tortilla chips you may want a little bit of kosher or sea salt.

Additions: Some people add garlic, tomatoes, cumin, cayenne, cilantro. Really it’s hard to go wrong (I only did once, too much lime was the culprit).

Squeezing in the lime… hmmm, someone needs Botox on their thumbs!

Adding in any additional ingredients, this time it was red onion only… but could be tomato, garlic, spices, salt, etc.

Here’s a little blip about avocado’s from WEB MD:

Avocado Nutrition

Avocados are a good source of fiber, potassium, and vitamins C,K, folate, and B6. Half an avocado has 160 calories, 15 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and only 2 grams saturated fat. One globe contains more than one-third daily value of vitamin C, and more than half the day’s requirements of vitamin K.

We use avocado’s (without the lime) as a spread for sandwiches. It’s great on the sprouted 7 grain english muffins with a slice of tomato and pepper jack cheese under the broiler until the cheese melts. Oh my!

Here’s a link to a great video on How To Cut An Avocado. It’s not difficult, but it helps to see it once… just beware when you remove the seed with a knife there’s a chance the knife can slip and uh, lets just say, be careful… wonder how I know this? You can use a spoon to remove. I still use a knife but I’m much more careful now! OH! And if you’re only using half an avocado, leave it in the skin and sprinkle (and I also rub) the lemon/lime wedge on the avocado and then cover it tightly with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is TOUCHING the avocado (like another skin). Works for a while… Guacamole will still turn brownish after a bit of time, nothing you can do about it, except… EAT IT!

Now go whip up some guacamole and surprise a friend! It’s delicious AND healthy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Roasted Shrimp and Tomato Orzo with Feta… Cool on a hot day!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe3 Comments

I am about to make you a very happy camper… I’m going to share with you a recipe that is OUT OF THIS WORLD DIVINE! This salad is refreshing on a hot summer day (hot is an understatement, I do believe the tires on my car are melting as I type this)… You can throw this together in the morning and have it for lunch or dinner… it’s a great light dinner. You know what health experts say… Eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Meaning to eat your biggest meal first and lighten up from there. I know. I don’t like to eat breakfast either… but…! We try to do that when we can, it’s not always possible, but once in a while we get it right…

Continue reading “Roasted Shrimp and Tomato Orzo with Feta… Cool on a hot day!” →

Recipe for fabulous Mediterranean Bowtie Pasta Salad – Perfect for hot weather!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, RecipeLeave a comment

Ahhh, another cold salad that is to-die-for-good and is perfect for this oh-so-hot-weather we’re all having! (What’s with me and all the hyphens I wonder?) This is something you can whip up in the morning and have in the fridge for dinner later in the day. You can customize it to what you’ve got or what sounds good to you. Same with the quantities. Since there are just two of us I only used a half of a box of pasta, but if you have a gaggle at home for dinner, then by all means, double the recipe, no worries!

This is what I had in my pasta salad, remember, there are no rules! I only used a little red onion because I didn’t want it to be too strong. I happened to have 3/4 of a banana pepper left and let me tell you it was tasty in this pasta salad!

This is what I had in the dressing… I’ve also made it with just olive oil, and with olive oil/balsamic vinegar… I have to say I like today’s recipe the best!

This is what the tomatoes should like like when you’re done roasting. Just until one starts to burst or get wrinkly. At this point they’ve achieved the sweetness that you oh so desire (trust me, you do!).

M E D I T E R R A N E A N    P A S T A   S A L A D

1 container grape tomatoes (or tomatoes of your choice)

Pasta of your choice, I used the mini bowtie pasta. I used 1/2 box. If you use a full box, double the recipe for the olive

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Pepper

Vegetables to add to salad – anything goes! Whatever quantity you like.

I used 3/4 of a banana pepper and about 1/4 cup (or less) minced red onion

Feta cheese 2-4 oz.

Basil (fresh or dry), washed, chopped, I used a few sprigs (maybe 15 leaves).

Olives! (Forgot those in the photos) – I used Kalamata, the big dark black olives, you can use a teaspoon or two of juice as well.

Preheat oven to 400 F

Boil water for the pasta. While the water is boiling wash and dry the grape tomatoes. (Yep, dry em… wash them well, then gently place on a clean towel, roll them around and they will be dry!)

BIG NOTE: Often times I SKIP ROASTING THE TOMATOES (especially when it’s hot outside) and simply slice, and place in the large bowl with olive oil/vinegar/mustard – then dump the hot pasta on top and let it sit a few minutes before stirring to incorporate. But it IS delish, so if you want to roast, here are the directions: Toss the grape tomatoes into a bowl with about a teaspoon or so of olive oil. Using your hands stir them around so that they’re all coated with the olive oil. Now using your olive oil hand, grease the cookie sheet (I use one with a lip so that they don’t go rolling off into your oven!), if you need a wee bit more olive oil go ahead and get some, but you only want to LIGHTLY oil the cookie sheet, otherwise you will have stinky deep fried smelling tomatoes and who wants that? Once tomatoes are coated slide them onto the cookie sheet.

By now your pasta water should be boiling, toss in the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain in a colander once pasta is cooked.

Check your tomatoes, you just want them to start to get crinkly. It’s not horrible if they totally fall apart, but then you’ll have little tomato pieces instead of more sturdy pieces. Roasting the tomato gives it sweetness you cannot begin to fathom. Seriously! When they’re done, cut them in half. You don’t have to but sometimes they can be kind of big in a salad.

Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk and then pour over cooked pasta that you have placed in a large bowl. Stir it until pasta is coated well.

Now for the fun part… I added banana pepper and red onion. Add what you like, as much or as little as you like! Add it to the pasta, stir it in.

Add 4 oz. of feta and mix it in. Remember you can always add it on top, so don’t add too much. Been there. Done that.

Add fresh chopped (or in my case snipped with scissors) basil and thyme (again, stripped from the stalk).

Chill (but go ahead and try some now… try to leave some for everyone else. It’s that good, yep! – Yield approximately 4 servings.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Photo: Farmers Market Bounty is Plentiful!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

Just didn’t want you to forget about the Charleston Farmers Market today at Marion Square in Charleston, SC. Even if it’s blistering hot I promise you it is SO worth it! Head out early if the heat concerns you… we can zip in and out in no time flat and we fill up a few bags of heavenly goods… Last week we bought butter beans, butter peas, corn on the cob, fresh juicy tomatoes that are UNBELIEVABLE this year, zucchini, banana pepper, cantaloupe and some grape tomatoes… I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but whoa, you can stock up and prices are so much cheaper than the grocery store and the quality cannot be beat!

Ahhh, one fruit I forgot to mention… the freshest, juiciest peaches EVER! Ooooh! I had one on my cereal and it made it dessert! Speaking of… would be super tasty over ice cream ;)

What do YOU make with your farmers market bounty? Catch you back here tomorrow!

A classy drink dispenser and recipes to go with it… Beat the heat!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe3 Comments

On a hot sunny day what can be any more refreshing than a something nice and cold to drink? These dispensers are from Pottery Barn. I love how they have them displayed… makes you want to reach right out and pour a glass!

Do you need something different to drink? Are you in a rut with water or tea? Here are a few suggestions…

SPA WATER – think it still sounds like “just water”? Think again! If you fill a pitcher with cold water, ice, and then add some sliced cucumbers and a few sprigs of mint, give it a stir, you won’t believe how refreshing that plain water becomes! It makes you drink more water because it just tastes so good… If I’m going to throw cucumber with the skin in a pitcher of water I buy organic, you don’t need to be drinking pesticides. Or you can peel the cucumber first, it’s not as pretty, but the taste is the same. I use an old Brita pitcher and it works great!

CITRUS WATER – add slices of whatever citrus you’ve got. Oranges, lemons, limes, they all make plain water taste amazing! It’s a nice subtle flavor that is just so refreshing. Once again… organic if you can…

ANYTHING GOES WATER – a mixture of lime, strawberry and mint, or any other concoction you can come up with… let me know if you find an especially good one!

I mentioned how to make good ole iced tea in a previous post (click HERE), it’s easy and black tea is so good for you! I just read in HEALTH Magazine  “lemon juice may increase your absorption of the antioxidants in tea fivefold (suggest a Purdue University study). You can also make iced tea with green tea, peppermint tea… the list goes on and on!

And of course… there’s nothing like ice cold fresh LEMONADE on a hot summer day… Ever wonder how to make lemonade? Well what you make is so much better, give it a whirl some time, perfect for a family get together or a cold drink to surprise the kiddies with! No chemicals or yellow dyes added!

PAULA DEEN’S LEMONADE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 cups fresh lemon juice
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

In a 1 gallon container, place sugar and hot water, and stir until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and cold water to render 1 gallon. Stir until well mixed. Pour lemonade over glasses of ice, squeeze slice of lemon on top of each, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

You can also make a healthier version of lemonade by squeezing lemon into a glass, add water and a squirt of honey, stir then add ice!

Quench that thirst, stay cool and beat the heat! Catch you back here tomorrow!

All images from PotteryBarn.com (in 2012)

Links updated 3/4/25

Hot restaurant tip…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, TRAVEL2 Comments

We’re back after a week in Michigan. It was so nice. Most days were coolish, a welcomed relief! It seems like we were always on the go, which means we ate out several times, and if whitefish was on the menu, I ordered it. It’s such a clean fresh tasting fish (well, most of the time). The above photo was my dinner from the Marine City Fish Company. GREAT food, wonderful atmosphere, if you haven’t been and you’re in the area I highly recommend it. This was the CEDAR PLANKED WHITEFISH – Fresh fillet of Lake Superior whitefish baked and served on a seasoned cedar plank. And it was… to die for good! You got your choice of potato, but the house made chips have this out of this world crunch, so since the fish was baked I indulged… also had a nice fresh salad and some wonderful veggies. Tasty! I love the tartar sauce here, it’s thinner, not so thick, so you get all of the flavor without using much of it at all! They have a great WEBSITE, the menu is on there as well, check it out!

Catch you back here tomorrow!