smoked mozzerella pasta salad

Kory, Gage, and I love this pasta salad from the Whole Foods deli, but found this copycat recipe from Made in a Day to make a bigger batch for much cheaper at home.

Ingredients

• 16 oz organic rigatoni pasta
• 9 oz roasted bell pepper strips
• 8 oz smoked mozzarella, cubed
• 2.5 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 oz white wine vinegar
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more as needed
• 5.5 oz mayo
• 5-6 oz fresh baby spinach
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• salt & pepper 

Instructions

1. Boil water in a large saucepan and cook rigatoni as directed. While pasta is cooking, place fresh spinach in the colander When pasta is al dente, pour hot pasta and water over the spinach to blanch it. Rinse, drain and run cold water over noodles and spinach to cool .
2. Whisk together in a large bowl (big enough to hold pasta salad), vinegar, garlic, parsley, cayenne pepper, and mayo.
3. Add rigatoni noodles, spinach, peppers, smoked mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Toss with a large spoon until blended. 
4. Chill for 30 min to 1 hour. Tossing every 15 minutes to blend. Serve as a side dish with your favorite summer meal! 

sweet potato fries

With lots of sweet potatoes in the house, sweet potato fries were an obvious choice. These Mark Bittman fries were good, but could have used an extra five minutes in the oven to crisp up.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• PREPARATION
• Heat the oven to 400.
• Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil.
• Mix the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread them out on 2 rimmed baking sheets.
• Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

onion rings

We have a ton of root veggies thanks to an accidental double order from driftless direct, so we decided to try homemade onion rings. We started with a recipe from allrecipes.com and added in some extra seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• seasoned salt to taste
• 1 quart oil for frying, or as needed

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl or gallon plastic bag, stir together the flour, baking powder, and seasonings.
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. 
4. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate, shallow dish, or in a gallon plastic bag. Place battered rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
5. Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with seasoning salt immediately upon coming out of the oil, and serve.

sweet potato biscuits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we ordered a box of root veggies from Driftless Direct. To our great benefit, they accidentally sent us a second box for free. We now have so many beautiful veggies, but I have to find creative ways to use them in recipes the kids will happily eat repeatedly. The perfect answer for several sweet potatoes were these yummy biscuits from Once Upon a Chef. The kids happily ate these two days in a row with lunch-- Kory and I enjoyed them too!

Sweet Potato Biscuits 

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato (from one medium sweet potato)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup whole milk, as needed
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes and 1/3 cup milk. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; process for a few seconds to mix. Add the chunks of cold butter, then pulse a few times until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size chunks of butter within. (If you don't have a food processor, this can be done by hand with a pastry cutter or your hands.)
4. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl, then add the sweet potato mixture and fold gently to combine. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons milk a little at a time until the dough is just moistened and holds together (you may not need all of it).
5. Sprinkle a small handful of flour on a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead lightly 2 or 3 times with the palm of your hand until the mixture comes together. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch round. Using a 2-1/2 inch-round biscuit cutter or glass, cut the dough into biscuits. Gently press the scraps into another round and cut out more biscuits. Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden on the bottom and firm to the touch, 12-14 minutes. Serve warm with honey butter.

During the Covid-19 quarantine, we planned chili for dinner one night, but wanted cornbread to go with it. This Taste of Home recipe was perfect for what we had in the pantry and fridge and the kids absolutely loved it!

Honey Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

• In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Add cream, oil and honey; beat well. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
• Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Potato Salad

I can’t imagine ever needing more than a half recipe of this potato salad from www.aspicyperspective.com. I upped the mustard to taste (we like lots of mustard in potato salad) and Kory and I both really liked it.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or Klondike Goldust potatoes
• 2 cups mayonnaise (your favorite brand)
• 1 cup refrigerated sweet pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, or 1 part yellow + 1 part dijon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 4-5 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks,  diced
• 1/2 cup sweet onion,  diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
•  Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large stock pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it is 1 inch over the top of the potatoes. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook the potatoes for 13-15 minutes, until fork tender.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish including juices, mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seeds, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth. Then chop the eggs, celery, onions, and dill.
• Once the potatoes are very tender, drain off all the water. Remove the loose peels and chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks. It's okay if they are soft and crumbly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Gently mix in the dressing until it coats the potatoes well. Then stir in the eggs, celery, onions, and dill. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh dill and paprika.
• Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you have time to make it ahead, it tastes even better on day two! Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.

creamed spinach

Kory was grilling steak for dinner, so I tried to hunt down a creamed spinach recipe to relive our days of Chicago steakhouse dinners. The best reviewed recipe turned out to be a copy-cat of our favorite steakhouse-- Morton's (cajun ribeye!). I made some modifications to this dinnerthendessert.com recipe to downsize it for our family. Kory, Elle, and I loved it and the boys ate it without complaint, but said it was "just ok."

Morton’s Steakhouse Creamed Spinach (Copycat)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cups half-and-half (or 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup whole milk)
• 12 ounces fresh leaf spinach or one pound frozen
• 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt.
2. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute.
3. Drain the spinach in a strainer or colander.
4. Rinse with cold water until cool and squeeze the water out of each fistful of spinach.
5. In the same pot, melt the butter with the garlic.
6. Cook on medium low for 3-5 minutes or until the garlic is starting to brown.
7. Add in the remaining kosher salt, black pepper and nutmeg.
8. Add in the flour and mix with a wooden spoon over low and cook for 2-3 minutes until the aroma is a bit nutty.
9. Add the half an half and cook until boiling and starting to thicken.
10. Turn off heat and add in the mozzarella cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
11. Add in the spinach and the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

honey mustard brussells sprout slaw

I love this salad from Cookie and Kate as lunch with grilled chicken and we used it as a Thanksgiving side as well. I usually buy a bag of cruciferous crunch from TJ's instead of shredding my own sprouts.

Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 20 mins
 
• Total Time: 20 mins
 
• Yield: 4
 
• Category: Salad

★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews

This delicious slaw recipe features crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with tangy honey mustard dressing, toasted almonds and dried cherries (or cranberries). This is a great gluten-free salad or side dish, perfect for potlucks or holiday meals.

INGREDIENTS

Coleslaw

• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted (hickory smoked almonds would be great if you can find them)
• ⅓ cup tart dried cherries or cranberries, chopped
• ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Honey mustard dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shred the sprouts: First, cut off the tough ends of the sprouts and any browning outer leaves. Then shred them in a food processor using the slicing blade, pressing the sprouts against the blade with the provided plastic pusher. If you don’t have a food processor, slice them as thinly as possible using a sharp chef’s knife, then give them a few extra chops for good measure.
2. If you are using raw almonds, toast them over medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges.
3. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic until emulsified. In a medium serving bowl, toss the shredded sprouts with the almonds, chopped dried fruit, Parmesan and dressing. Serve.

Kory and I loved this recipe from Ina Garten. There have been a ton of eggplants at the farmers' market lately and we are trying to take full advantage of them, without eating only eggplant parmesan.

Eggplant Gratin

Photo courtesy of foodnetwork.com

Total Time: 45 min
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min

Yield: 2 servings

Level: Easy

Ingredients

Good olive oil, for frying
3/4 pound eggplant, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 extra-large egg
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good bottled marinara sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat about 1/8-inch of olive oil in a very large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful, it splatters! Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain. Add more oil, heat, and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce. Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.

Place the gratins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned. Serve warm.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/eggplant-gratin-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

El Diablo Cornbread

This recipe from Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe is essentially chili and cornbread in one pan.  It's great for me to have on hand for vegan snacking or lunch.  I've made it both as muffins or as an 8x8 pan loaf.  I know that honey isn't actually vegan, but I am not a huge agave fan, so honey was good enough for me. 

Ingredients
1 20 oz bag Bob’s Red Mill Cornbread Mix
1 1/2 C room temp non dairy milk ( I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/3 C melted vegan butter or oil
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked very well with 2 Tbsp water
3 tomatillos, finely diced
12 oz soy chorizo (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
1 C frozen corn kernels
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 packed cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Saute soy chorizo and diced tomatillos until they become soft. While your mixture is cooking, break apart soy chorizo in the pan so it is the texture of ground beef. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl mix entire bag of cornbread mix, egg replacer mixed with water, milk and butter or oil. Stir gently to incorporate all wet and dry ingredients.
Add chorizo mixture, corn, honey, and cilantro. Stir gently to incorporate.
Pour into muffin or 8x8 pan.
bake at 375 about 28-35 minutes until cooked through.  

wild rice salad with pecans and cranberries

I made this salad (yet another cranberry-containing salad...) for a friend's dinner party that ended up being cancelled.  I had absolutely no problem polishing off the whole bowl for lunch over the past few days.  I did let Kory have a little bit and he also liked it, so it's a keeper!  The recipe is based on one I found at foodess.com.

To toast pecans, cook in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry brown/wild rice mix
• 4 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice, water, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 50 minutes, or until tender. Drain in a fine meshed sieve, and run under cold water to cool completely. Let stand in sieve for 5 minutes to fully drain.
2. In a medium bowl, combine wild rice, green onion, pecans and cranberries.
3. In a liquid measuring cup, combine oil, soy sauce, vinegar and parsley. Pour over salad and stir well to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature.
4. May be made up 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until serving.

spinach, almond, and orzo salad with cranberries

I found this recipe on Family Kitchen and it is my new favorite salad.  The flavor combination of the tangy gorgonzola cheese and the sweet cranberries is amazing.  Throw in the toasty almonds for texture and the salad is officially perfect.

(photo from Family Kitchen blog)


Spinach and Orzo Salad with Cranberries and Almonds
Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com


1 cup whole wheat orzo, uncooked
3/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
about 3/4 of a 6 oz bag of baby spinach, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4 oz gorgonzola, crumbled

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (I toast in a nonstick skillet over med heat for about 5 minutes)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3cup light flavored oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook orzo according to instructions on package, set aside to cool completely.

To prepare dressing,  whisk together in a small bowl (or shake in a jar) sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, vinegar, oil and pinches of salt and pepper.

In a large salad bowl combine orzo, almonds, spinach and cranberries. Gently toss ingredients with 1/3-1/2 amount of dressing, add more or less to your liking.

Add crumbled gorgonzola and gently toss again.

Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.

tater tots

Kory and I both thought that these turned out really well and liked having control of the (very few) ingredients instead of buying prepackaged and frozen tots.  I only made half the recipe, pressing them into a loaf pan instead of an 8x8" baking dish.  Sadly, our anti-potato children had no interest in them.  The recipe was from Cook's Country.

broccoli sunshine salad

I made this recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Elle's first birthday party.  It was definitely yummy and extremely simple, but I did make a few changes.  I didn't have any cider vinegar, so I used red wine vinegar and I'm not a raisin fan, so I used a mix of dried cherries, cranberries, and blueberries.  I also used mozzerella cheese instead of cheddar.  I used Applegate Farms Sunday bacon to keep the recipe free of artificial nitrates/nitrites.

Funeral Potatoes

This Cook's Country recipe is like sour cream and cheddar potato chips in casserole form, literally.  It was really good, but really heavy, and will probably be saved for special occasions from now on.  Cael loved that I put the chips in a zip-top bag and let him stomp on them though.

Roasted Smashed Potatoes

Yet another potato recipe from Cook's Illustrated...  This one is probably my favorite.  Kory, Cael and I all loved the crispy outside with the rich, buttery center. 

Baked Beans

This is another one of Kory's mom's recipes.  No need to say (if you know me...) that I don't use pork and beans, but instead actually use a can of whatever organic baked beans look the yummiest on a given day.  Yes, I add ingredients to ready made baked beans.  I usually do a half batch and bake for only 1 1/2 hours.  Sometimes we skip the bacon all together, sometimes I use the Applegate Farms brand.  These turn out almost candied, they are so thick and sweet. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Maple Sauce

Another of my Thanksgiving recipes that works all winter long.  Sweet with a hint of spice (I halve the cayenne for the kiddos).

Creamy Orzo

This is a yummy dish, but sometimes I find it slightly bland depending on my mood.  We often add chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. to change it up. In the picture, I made it with star shaped pasta instead of orzo.

Cranberry Fruit Conserve

I made this one for Thanksgiving this year too.  Kory and I both thought it was great, but he insisted on still having the canned, jellied cranberry sauce as well.  It makes quite a bit, so next year I may halve the recipe.