Garden Pasta Salad

I typically don't eat pasta salads because they are mayo based and I am not a big fan of mayo. This pasta sald is so easy to make and is so delicious (not to mention healthy) and the feta cheese gives it such an yummy touch. I like to make it and eat it with the noodles still a bit warm for dinner and then as a cold salad the next day for lunch.

3 cups whole wheat rotini pasta cooked and drained
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup halved cherry (or sliced garden) tomatoes

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup fresh chopped zucchini and or yellow squash

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup chopped red onions (I am not a fan of raw onions so I usually leave out)

1/2 cup zesty italian dressing

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Slice all vegetables. Mix pasta, vegetables, zesty italian dressing (click here for dressing recipe) and cheese. Serve warm or cold.

*another healthy addition to this salad are garbanzo beans and frozen green peas, thawed

Strawberry Chicken Salad

This is my favorite salad, it's almost like a dessert. So yummy! My friend Joann introduced me to it, and it's fabulous. I used Brianna's poppyseed dressing, but I actually think Joann's recipe for poppyseed dressing is better- it's more dessert-like and just heavenly. Go here for her recipe.

I grilled my chicken with montreal chicken seasoning, then added fresh strawberries, almonds, oranges and mixed with baby greens and poppyseed dressing. You can change up the fruits for a different taste- peaches would be yummy, it also tastes great without the chicken, but something about grilled chicken and strawberries is just amazing. Perfect summer dinner.

Indonesian Barley Pilaf

I got this recipe from Kashi and just modified it a bit for what I had on hand. It's quicky, healthy and delicious.

1 cup barley

2 cups water (or chicken broth)
1 cup whole peanuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 cup raisins
1 large carrot julienned
1 cup red cabbage diced (optional- I didn't use)
pinch of salt
red bell pepper, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 tablespoons soy sauce (I usually pour it on until everything is light brown)

2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, grated

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)

Cook barley in water according to directions (usually takes about 35-40 minutes). In large sauce pan saute garlic, onion and pepper in sesame oil (or other oil). Add remaining ingredients and simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in barley and serve.

Devil's Food Cake

So I was really sick a week or so ago and couldn't eat a thing. I lost 5 pounds in 3 days and was feeling pretty miserable. Normally I would be ecstatic about losing 5 pounds but I had already lost all my pregnancy weight and purchased all new clothes. I typically LOVE shopping but after going from store to store and coming home empty handed (trying to find shorts in my size that come down to the knee) I finally went online and found a few pairs. But there are no others to choose from, no alternative options, I bought every style I could find. So when I put on my new shorts and they were too big for me, I freaked out. What's a girl to do? That's right...

My appetite was back- I scoured the cookbook to determine what I could binge on to gain back those few pounds. Then I saw the Devil's Food Cake book that I ordered, sitting on my shelf. The picture of the cake on the cover was irresistable. I figured making the recipe would inspire me to read it faster. It sure hit the spot! I haven't gained it all back, but it earned me a few pounds at least. The cake is good- but I really only eat cake for the frosting- and this frosting is heavenly! I had a little extra left over and I ate it by the spoonful. YUM. (You should know by now that I cannot decorate a cake to save my life, but I promise it tastes better than it looks!) This is my new "go to" chocolate frosting recipe! Try it, you'll like it.

Devil's Food Cake

1 cup sour milk (1 cup milk + 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice OR use 1 cup buttermilk)

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

For sour milk, mix milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside for five minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the water and baking soda. Mix until batter is smooth. Add the

soda to the boiling water (kids love this part because it bubbles). Add soda/water mixture to batter. Mix well—batter will be thin.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until middle is set.

If using round cake pans, grease pans very well and cut a round of wax paper to fit inside the bottom of the pans
to prevent cake from sticking when removed. Let cake cool five minutes in pans before turning out onto a wire rack.
 

Sandra’s Chocolicious Frosting

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup baking cocoa
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter and shortening. Whisk in cocoa and stir until smooth. Let cool until it is cool enough to touch. Add cream cheese and mix thoroughly. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, mix well. will cover two 9" layers or a 9x13 cake.
*also tastes great with a spoon!

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

I love the broccoli salad at Ruby Tuesday's and this recipe is pretty close.
1/4 cup mayo
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
2-3 heads of broccoli washed and chopped
bacon (I used half a jar of real bacon bits)
sunflower seeds (can also use pecans)
raisins or grapes halved
frozen peas, thawed

Mix the dressing or mayo with the red wine vinegar & sugar. Chop all vegetables and stir together. Refrigerate one hour to let the flavors soak in. Serve cold.

Oven baked Salmon with pesto & sun dried tomatoes

I usually don't eat seafood. Ever. The smell of fish makes me ill. I assumed that anything that came from the sea must taste as awful as it smells. I am yet again proven wrong.

A few months ago I saw a cooking show that discussed cooking salmon in a pan and the trick to avoiding the "fishy" smell is to cook it on one side until golden, flip it, put the lid on, turn the stove off and walk away. After about 8 minutes it will be done and there will be no noxious odor. I tried it for my husband (I've banned all fish from the house since we've been married) and it worked! No fish smell. He was happy to eat fish for the first time since being home from Kuwait and I was happy because my house still smelled nice. I even took a bite. It wasn't bad. I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it.

So...when we were in Utah my lovely friend Leta invited us to dinner and said she was thinking about making salmon. I agreed since I didn't mind it the last time I tried it, plus she mentioned pesto and sun dried tomatoes- so I couldn't resist. I was pleasantly surprised! I've determined to make some type of fish at least 2-3 times a month now until my tastebuds learn to LOVE it. Or at least desire it. It's such a healthier alternative to chicken and pretty easy to prepare. I'm sure I made it different from what she did, but this is what I could remember and my family loved it.

2 salmon filets

Basil pesto

Sun dried tomatoes

Angel hair pasta (or any kind!)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Top each salmon filet with a heaping spoonful of basil pesto. Bake in preheated oven until salmon is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

While salmon is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Stir in 1/2 jar (or more to taste) of sun dried tomatoes until pasta is well coated.

Serve salmon over pasta and top with parmesan cheese, if desired.

If you're like me and prefer small pieces of salmon, or if you're feeding kids, you can shred it with a fork and stir it in the pasta. Healthy. Delicious.

Peanut Butter M&M cookies

I've never been a huge peanut butter cookie fan. In fact I used to totally dislike them until I received some as a gift with little hershey's kisses in the center. The gooey chocolate mixed with peanut butter was amazing. I found this recipe mixed with m&m's and it is heavenly. This makes a huge batch of cookies and trust me, you will need every last cookie!

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

2 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup butter

½ cup vegetable shortening

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs (beaten)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup M&M’s (or if you're like me, the whole bag!)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter, shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking  powder.

3. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix.

4. Roll into small balls, place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and with a fork dipped in flour flatten cookies. Then flatten in the opposite direction so they cross.

5. Bake for 8-10 minutes.