Not Yo' Mamma's Pasta Salad...

With 4^th of July just around the corner, I had to share this new pasta salad I made tonight that was too good to keep to myself!

The caramelized onions and fennel take this salad to a whole new level. It really gives a nice flavor, don’t be afraid of the fennel. When it is sautéed it has a very mild taste and gives the dish a little something extra. As I was finishing up the pasta, I noticed I had some mangos in the fridge, so tossed them in and talk about a great combo. The sweet and savory flavors really work great in this salad.

I got all my veggis at that farmers market I was talking about in a previous post, so this salad was really inexpensive. I seriously got 4 mangos for $1 and bell peppers for .30 cents each. Love it!

And if you don’t feel like grilling your own chicken, grab a bag of Tyson precooked/grilled chicken in the freezer section of your grocer or Costco. That’s actually what I used tonight and it was just fine. No one will ever know!

Hope everyone has a great 4^th! We’re heading to Anthem tomorrow night for their big Firework Bash. I need to get one of those personal mister fans, it’s going to be a hot one!

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Caramelized Onion, Fennel and Mango

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ Cup onion, finely chopped
½ lb campanelle pasta noodles
¼ Cup finely chopped fennel (if you don’t have it, just use additional onion)
2 Cups grilled chicken breast, cubed
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 ½ Cups quartered zucchini
3 Cups broccoli florets
2 mangos, peeled and cubed
½ bottle Kraft Tuscan House Italian Dressing or Zesty Italian, 16 fl oz size
Couple pinches kosher salt

1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and fennel for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place into a large bowl with the onions/fennel. Toss in rest of ingredients, gently stirring to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

4 servings

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Thanks so much to Susan from She's Becoming Dough Messtic blog for the Arte y Pico Award! I love my food bloggin' friends!!

Great Way to Use Leftovers: Adobo Chicken Salad on Cheddar Onion Pockets

Happy Father's Day Everyone! The day's about over, but hope everyone has enjoyed spending time with the Father's in their lives and ate some great food! I think I've probably gained about 5 pounds with all the food we've consumed this weekend, yikes back to yoga and pilates this week!

For any of you who were huge Tastespotting fans like myself, knows they had to shut down for some legal issue. I found another cool site that posts droolworthy pictures and links to the recipes. So be sure to check out Food Gawker and send in those yummy photos .

Thought I'd post my latest while everyone is still napping in my house: Yummy Adobo Chicken Salad using up the sweet corn from my Father's Day Dinner. This is one of my new favorite chicken salads. It's got a perfect sweet and smoky flavor that's mild enough for even the kids!

The boys and I got out our big box of Ritz crackers and had a hay day digging in. It's great on a sandwich and perfect as a snack on crackers. I got my cheddar onion rolls from Sprouts, but any nice soft roll will do.

Enjoy the rest of your day, we're off to pig out at my mom's house! I'll be back soon with a quick weeknight dinner and an easy cheesecake bar dessert! Oh and that 60 second lunch, that I can't seem to photograph, it never lasts that long on the plate, it's all coming soon!

Here's my special helper that kept inching closer and closer to my photo shoot again. Little rascal, Hawaiian Punch mustache and all!

Adobo Chicken Salad on Cheddar Onion Pockets

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (Costco has a great one)
1 1/2 Cups mayonnaise
1/2 Cup left over Sweet Sauteed Corn recipe
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon Adobo sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
Cheddar onion pockets (from Sprouts) or other nice soft rolls
spinach leaves

1. Combine first 8 ingredients into a large bowl until combined. Spread onto nice soft rolls lined with spinach leaves. Enjoy!

A Father's Day Dinner With a Kick!

Adobo Peach BBQ Chicken with Smoky Potatoes and Sweet Sauteed Corn

Anyone else up at 12:30am? I’m nuts, my boys are going to up in less than 6 hours. I was catching up on some shows that I tivo’d last week. I finally got through Top Chef, so now I’m ready for the finale Wednesday night. Then, I couldn’t help but watch The Next Food Network Star that I missed last night, so entertaining, I love it. Oh, and then there was the Bachelorette, what a great season. No wonder I’m still up at this hour!

Ok, I’ve been meaning to put this dish together for over a week now and finally did it tonight. It was inspired by a dish I had at Tia Rosa’s in Mesa that I fell in love with. I re-created it at home and it was easy and delicious! It would be perfect for a Father’s Day Dinner, any Dad would be thrilled. I think I’ll make it again Sunday night. You might want to double the corn recipe, you’ll eat it by the bowlfuls. It is such a treat.

Alright, I’m going to try and catch a few zzzz’s with my sister’s snoring dog in the room! Hope you all enjoy!

Sweet Sauteed Corn

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, finely diced
½ Cup finely diced white onion
4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons honey

1. Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Saute red and green bell pepper with the onion for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in corn, salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and honey until well combined and melted through. Serve warm.

Smoky Mashed Potatoes

5 lbs washed, peeled and cubed potatoes
½ stick butter (4 tablespoons)
1 1/2 Cup milk (more if you like thinner mashed potatoes)
8 oz sour cream
1 ¼ teaspoons salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (Lawry’s)
4 Tablespoons adobo sauce (from canned chipotles, add more if you like it spicy)

1. Boil potatoes for 12-15 minutes or until fork tender. Transfer drained potatoes to a large stand mixer bowl with the butter. Start to mix on low speed until mashed. Add milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic salt and adobo sauce until well combined. Taste and season accordingly with additional salt/garlic salt if desired.

Adobo Peach BBQ Chicken

18 chicken tenders
1 1/4 Cups Peach preserves
¼ Cup adobo sauce (canned chipotle sauce), add more if you like it spicy hot!
½ Cup BBQ sauce
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1. Place chicken tenders into a large zip lock bag. Pour in peach preserves, adobo sauce, BBQ sauce, salt and garlic. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat indoor grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat. Spray grill with cooking spray. Grill chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through.

Adobo Peach BBQ Chicken with Smoky Potatoes and Sweet Sauteed Corn

An Oldie, But an Oh so Goodie!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend, here it is already Sunday night. This is the last week of school too, yikes summer is here!

It’s funny, I kind of forgot about the BBQ ranch chicken salad. I remember making it all the time a few years ago and even won a prize with a this combo as a pizza back in 04, then time passed and I was on to making other things.

However, Friday night I became a huge fan all over again! Our night started at the movies where we saw the comic book move, Ironman, it was pretty entertaining. The guys really liked it. It kept my interest.

After the movie we went to Paradise bakery for dinner. After contemplating on what to order, I decided last minute to get the BBQ Ranch chicken salad, with a sammy, of course. I am so glad I ordered that salad! It was so good that I had to go make my own version the next day. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so it came together quickly. I forgot how much I love the flavor combo of ranch and BBQ sauce, Yum! So, re-live the past, you certainly won’t be disappointed in this salad.

While I was trying to take pics of my salad, my little guy was patiently waiting to dig in as soon as I was done. I don’t know of many 3 year olds who like salad, but mine does. I had to get these pics of him getting as close as he could to my bowl! Little goof!

Making his move...

Trying to go in for the kill, but licks the fork!

BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

3 Cups thinly sliced Green Leaf Lettuce
¼ Cup corn
¼ Cup black beans
8 grape tomatoes, halved
1 cooked grilled chicken breast
¼ Cup favorite BBQ Sauce
¼ Cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ Cup prepared ranch dressing
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro leaves

1. Place lettuce into a salad bowl. Layer with corn, black beans and tomatoes. Dice cooked chicken breast and mix with BBQ sauce. Top over salad and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

2. Place ranch dressing and cilantro leaves into a small bowl to combine. Drizzle over salad and serve.

**This recipe is for 1 large serving, double accordingly**

Two of My Favorite Ingredients, Spinach and Artichoke....

Happy Cinco de Mayo Everyone, even though this post has nothing to do with it. Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I feel refreshed and rejuvenated from my little bit of free time over the weekend. My mom and I went and saw Made of Honor, I went to a nice heated yoga class, got some great take out, watched a little tv, took some pilates classes, cooked a little and went shopping. I think I managed to squeeze everything I like to do in a very short amount of time! It was nice, but it's great having all of my boys back.

My oldest little guy ratted out his dad and told me, “Dad wasn’t going to brush my teeth, I had to tell him to do it.” Nice! At least my 5 year old is looking after his dental health! And then, they told me that my youngest got lost for a few minutes at the camp ground. My husband found him just as he was going toward the lake. I should be grateful they are all back in one piece!

I made this pasta last night as a last minute thing and it was terrific. I love spinach and artichoke together so you’re getting LOTS of it in these two recipes! This pasta recipe is very simple with wonderful flavor coming from the artichoke hearts and pork sausage. It’s all tossed with Fettucini Fini noodles (thinner than original fettucini) and olive oil. Give it a try if you are a fan of these flavors. Everyone seemed to enjoy it last night. It's much more colorful than it shows, I don’t know where all the spinach went in my pics. It really is a beautiful dish and looks great in a nice big pasta bowl. Enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Fettucini Fini with Sausage

1 lb Fettucini Fini pasta noodles
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 Cups marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 lb pork sausage of choice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s garlic salt
2-3 Tablespoons good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. *If you spray noodles with cooking spray, they don’t stick together, I do this all the time.*

2. Place olive oil into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes then stir in artichoke and spinach leaves. Cook until spinach is wilted down, about 3 minutes. Stir in sausage and cook until browned.

3. Stir in cooked pasta, season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve.

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Artichoke Soup

I made this soup as my boys were on their way home from camping and really wasn't expecting them to love it. It was inspired by a soup I have ordered a cute little cafe called Crackers and Company in Mesa. It was so good, I wanted to go re-create it at home. I did and it is great!

I utilized some of my left over ingredients from their “hobo dinners.” I used the rest of the garlic roasted veggis and 2 chicken breasts. You would have thought there was candy at the bottom of the bowl the way my boys were eating it. It is creamy and delicious and totally worth the calories!

I have to tell you about a wonderful product I always have around the house, especially when I make soup. It’s called Ultra Gel. It’s an instant “thickener.” It will thicken any liquid without even heating. It is truly a must have if you are an avid soup maker like me. If you live in AZ, you can get this product at Shar’s Bosch Kitchen store on Gilbert and Baseline or you can get it online at this LINK. It’s pretty inexpensive and a real keeper. If you don’t want to use it in this soup recipe, it’s no problem it will just be much thinner than how it appears in my picture. However, it tastes great both ways. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Artichoke Soup

½ lb bacon
2 Cups leftover vegetables from HERE
2 ½ Cups marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
6 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
3 cans chicken broth
1 Cup half and half
1 Cup sour cream
2 leftover chicken breasts from HERE
½ Cup Ultra Gel (optional, it’s a soup thickener. Here's the Link where you can check it out)

1. Heat large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Cook bacon until crisped. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Discard all but 2 Tablespoons bacon drippings. Place the 2 Tablespoons of bacon drippings back into pot over medium heat. Saute vegetables, artichoke hearts and spinach leaves for 5 minutes, or until spinach is wilted down. Stir in chicken broth, half and half, and sour cream until smooth. Stir in chicken breast, crumble all but 6 pieces of bacon and stir into soup. Reduce heat to low. For a thicker soup, slowly whisk in ½ Cup of ultra gel until desired thickness. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Crumble remaining strips of bacon and crumble over each soup bowl.

My Spoiled Little Campers.....

Ever had a Hobo or Tin Foil Dinner? I'm not a huge fan of camping, but these dinners are worth it!

My husband and boys are getting ready for their annual Father and Son’s Camping trip they go on with our church. The boys get so excited. I think it's great they get to spend some quality time with Dad! They will all be in their element. We've been busy scurrying around the house to get the bags packed, snacks bought and of course a Hobo Dinner for each of them. What would camping be without a hobo dinner?

My husband asked me very sweetly if I’d make them something for their campfire dinner, so I thought I’d make them something special. Typically a hobo dinner is made with hamburger, potatoes and veggis, but I chose a yummy grilled chicken to accompany the veggis. Take a peek at what’s inside these kicked up hobo dinners.

Firehouse BBQ Grilled Chicken

6 thawed boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ Cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
¾ Cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
4 Tablespoons melted butter
2 Tablespoons Worstershire sauce

1. Place all ingredients in a large ziplock bag and marinate for at least an hour. Preheat stovetop grill pan (this is what I used) or outdoor grill over medium heat. Grill chicken for 5-6 minutes each side or until chicken is cooked through.

**This chicken recipe is one my father-in-law cooks all of the time for family gatherings. There's never been a name for it, so I've officially named it "Firehouse Chicken." I never usually measure out the ingredients, but kept track this time, so you all could enjoy. It is so simple and packed with intense flavor. If you are afraid of the Red Hot Sauce, just reduce the amount a bit, this recipe is worth trying! My 3 year old gobbled it down no problem, but my 5 year old said it was a little spicy, so use your judgement if you're feeding it to the kids. I'm all for the little kick it brings!**

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

5 lb bag of russet potatoes, washed, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper
¼ Cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Divide cubed potatoes onto a large baking sheet with edges. Drizzle potatoes evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic salt, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese over potatoes. With hands, gently rub ingredients together so potatoes are well coated. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender and golden brown. Take a nibble then season accordingly if it needs a little more salt.

**This potato recipe is one of my classic "family favorite" recipes. I use this recipe so often because it always gets devoured. It's a great side dish for anything really. I can't wait to create something with all the left overs I have. Enjoy!**

Garlic Roasted Vegetables

1 lb bag of carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, thinly sliced and separated
1 lb bag celery washed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 bell peppers of choice, I used a red and yellow, seeded and julienned or cut into strips
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt
¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon Fresh ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place all vegetables onto a large baking sheet with edges. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic salt, salt and pepper or vegetables and gently rub ingredients together so vegetables are well coated. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender.

**Another classic recipe of mine. Nothing fancy or difficult, just incredibly good. The onion and peppers leave the vegetables with a perfect sweetness. It's really fantastic. Enjoy!**

Time to pile everything up. Little mountain of goodness! I decided to pre-cook everything, so all the boys have to do is throw it on the coals to warm it, dinner in no time!

Have fun my little campers! My husband better brush their teeth. That's always my one request, Please brush their teeth! We'll see if it really happens!

Whether you are camping or not, all three of these recipes are classics that I make often. They are all keepers in my book! I've got some left overs that I'll be transforming into something new. Have a great weekend everyone! Oh boy, what's a girl to do with some extra free time?!!

Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken 2 Ways

I am a huge fan of bruschetta, any style really, but especially fresh tomato, basil and garlic bruschetta. I wanted to turn some boring pieces of chicken into something the whole family would enjoy.

Altering dinner is somewhat typical at my house lately. My husband who is now wearing braces, has a hard time biting into hard crusty bread, so he needs foods eaten with a fork. This first recipe was for him so he doesn't freak out me! I was actually surprised how tasty this grilled chicken was on it's own, do give it a try. I love my indoor grill pan, they are so handy, if you don't have one go check them out.

Balsamic Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed (I use the big Costco bag)
Pinch of salt
¼ Cup balsamic vinegar
¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

4 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
8 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into chiffonade
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Spray with cooking spray. Combine balsamic and olive oil in a bowl. Season both sides of chicken with pinches of salt and place on grill. Brush top sides of chicken with balsamic mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes and flip chicken. Brush with additional balsamic and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until cooked through. During the last 2 minutes of grilling place 2 slices of cheese over top each chicken to melt.

2. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, basil garlic, salt and balsamic. Toss gently to combine. Place chicken breasts on a serving plate and top with tomato mixture. Serve warm.

Garlic Toasted Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta Sandwich

Mmmm, here's my pick. My boys were all for the sammy too. Garlic ciabatta rolls, toasty and warm. Fresh mozzarella oozing out the sides with the same balsamic grilled chicken and tomato topping. The balsamic vinegar is so good basted on the chicken as it grills and drizzled into the tomato topping. My youngest little guy was eating the tomato and basil straight from the bowl. He's a smart boy! Definitely takes after his mother.

I also find it helpful to pound the chicken to an even thickness before grilling it. The chicken will cook evenly and quicker this way. Get a meat mallet and let the chicken have it! It's actually quite fun, my boys were looking at me funny as I was pounding away. If you get the Costco bag of chicken breast by Tyson, thaw it in it's individual wrap and pound it right in the wrapper, it works great and less mess to clean up.

Thank you Barbara over at Barbara Bakes for another "You Make My Day" Award. I have such wonderful cooking friends. I enjoy reading everyone's cooking blogs, a little too much, I could be at this computer for hours!

Well, it's 8:00pm, boys are in bed and I've got to go see what happened on American Idol! Have a great week everyone! Happy cooking!

Garlic Toasted Balsamic Chicken Bruschetta Sandwich

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts from above recipe
Pinch of salt
¼ Cup balsamic vinegar
¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil

4 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and diced
8 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced into chiffonade
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8 thin slices fresh mozzarella
4 ciabatta rolls, or other rolls of choice

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Spray with cooking spray. Combine balsamic and olive oil in a bowl. Season both sides of chicken with pinches of salt and place on grill. Brush top sides of chicken with balsamic mixture. Cook for 4-5 minutes and flip chicken. Brush with additional balsamic and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.

2. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, basil garlic, salt and balsamic. Toss gently to combine. Set aside.

3. Preheat same grill pan over medium heat and spray with additional cooking spray. Place 2 slices of cheese on bottom rolls then layer with chicken breasts, spoonfuls of tomato mixture and 2 more slices of cheese. Place top rolls to close sandwich and grill both sides on hot grill pan until toasty and warm. Serve warm.

Chicken Pot Pie Bowls with Puffy Croutons and Blog Award

It’s late, so forgive any typos and annoying discussion of my favorite tv shows. I find it so unwinding after I put the boys to bed to plop down on the couch, kick my feet up and indulge in some good reality tv from time to time. American Idol was ready and waiting for me on my tivo. I really have been rooting for Brooke White, especially since she is an AZ girl, but have to say she’s probably about done. I really think it’s going to come down to the 2 Davids’. Both really great. I can see David Cook doing more though. Did you hear he is dating Lacy from So You Think You Can Dance from last season? Guess they met on “Idol Gives Back.” Can’t wait for SYTYCD season 3 and Grey’s Anatomy is coming back Thursday, Yay! And how cute does Maid of Honor look with Patrick Dempsey coming out in a few weeks?

Now, onto the good stuff. Those that are on diets, pleas look away, this could be way too tempting.....

This is a great alternative to the traditional chicken pot pie. I serve it in a bowl with light, flaky, and buttery puff pastry croutons. Easy, fattening, and totally comforting. I had to laugh when my husband asked me if this dinner was healthy. I thought the cream base would have been a dead give away! Like I’ve said before, moderation and some good self control! Don’t eat 2 big bowls at one sitting and you’ll be fine!

These puff pastry croutons are ridiculously good. Must try!

Chicken Pot Pie Bowls with Puffy Croutons

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium white onion finely diced
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 stick butter (I know, I hear the groans)
½ Cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 cans chicken broth
1 Cup half and half (there go the groans again)
½ Cup low fat sour cream (better?)
1 Cup petite peas, frozen is fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of garlic salt, Lawry’s

1 sheet thawed puff pastry
1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water
¼ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1. Heat oil into a large dutch oven or heavy pot. Saute carrots, onion, celery and onion until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to low stir in chicken and simmer.

2. In a separate medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and half and half until smooth. Increase heat to high while continually whisking until mixture thickens and almost starts to boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream and peas. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of garlic salt (won’t need much). Simmer on low while croutons are cooking.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Gently roll out puff pastry with a rolling pin to even thickness. With pastry brush, brush pastry with egg wash and lightly sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. With pizza cutter, cut into ½ inch squares. Place squares onto a large baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool.

4. Serve in pot pie base in bowls and top with puffy croutons, Enjoy!

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Thanks!

Thanks so much to Steph from Stephanie’s Kitchen and Lori from Recipe Girl for thinking of me for the “Blogging With Purpose Award.” These two ladies have blogs that I visit daily and just love! Thanks ladies for your nice comments.

I have a zillion favorites, but I’d like to pass on the award to a few of my daily visits! Check em’ out!

Tarah from Genesis of a Cook
I love her blog and can hardly believe she’s still in high school! I remember browsing through her blog one day and had to re-read her profile, I could hardly believe it. What a talented girl, I’m a huge fan of her creative recipes.

Deborah from Taste and Tell
Deborah is the ultimate cookbook recipe tester, I love checking in to see what she’s going to test next. She did a whole week of Rachel Ray’s recipes that all looked great. She takes great pics too!

Patsyk from Family Friends and Food
Patsyk has beautiful pictures and recipes that make your mouth water! Another daily visit for me!

Heather from Down Right Delish
Heather, another fellow hygienist, just started her own cooking blog and is doing great. Her recipes are tried and true and I’ve been enjoying seeing what she’s cooking.

The Sisters from The Sister’s Café
I love reading this group of sister’s favorite recipes. They always post real life recipes that sound so good!

Oh How I Love Pasta...

What a nice day it’s been. I was able to go to my heated yoga this morning that I love. It’s amazing how good you feel after you’re done. We won’t discuss how you feel during the class though!

After school, the boys had a picnic under the trampoline with their buddies. The weather is so beautiful, I’m sad that it’s not going to last much longer!

What a yummy dinner this turned out to be a few nights ago. Staring at me in the fridge was some spinach, gorgonzola cheese and some beautiful asparagus that needed use up, so I whipped up this pasta and what a hit it was with the family.

Don’t be afraid of the gorgonzola in the sauce, it’s very mild and gives the best flavor with the parmesan cheese. I was so proud of myself for using lowfat milk in the sauce rather than a heavy cream. I must say, it’s really good and I would have never known I used lowfat milk if I hadn’t been the one to make it.

This dinner was so good that we had it for a second night. When re-heating, make sure to add a little milk to loosen the sauce. Enjoy everyone!

Spinach and Asparagus Chicken Linguini in a Parmesan Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

12 oz uncooked linguini pasta
1 Bunch asparagus tips
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt and pepper
3 Cups lowfat milk
1 ¼ Cups crumbled gorgonzola
¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 Cups baby spinach
2 medium size chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
10 strips precooked bacon, crisped and crumbled
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare linguini according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan filled ¾ full of water to boil. Place asparagus tips in hot water and cook for 3 minutes. Remove and place into a bowl of ice water to shock and stop cooking. Set aside.

2. Place butter into a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat to melt. Whisk in flour, pinch of salt and pepper until combined. Slowly whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium high. While whisking, heat until milk comes to a light boil. Reduce heat to low and immediately stir in parmesan and gorgonzola until melted. Stir in chopped spinach, linguini, asparagus, chicken and half the bacon. Gently toss to coat, season with pinches of salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a large serving bowl and garnish top with remaining crumbled bacon pieces.

Recipes Gone Wild...

I LOVE wild rice recipes! Especially when it comes pre-cooked from Trader Joes, what a brilliant idea. I pick up a bag every time I go.

During my long weekends of pilates training, I like to bring lunch for my friend and I who travels from Nevada every other weekend. At 10:00pm the night before, I was looking for something quick to put together and I happened to see my bag of wild rice. I came up with this nice rice salad with chicken, feta, basil, grape tomatoes and a good Italian Dressing (I like Ken's). Talk about delicious! I can hardly wait to make it again. Give it a try, and shhhh it's even somewhat healthy too!

Brown and Wild Rice Italian Chicken Salad

2 Cups uncooked brown rice
8 oz cooked wild rice (I get it precooked at Trader Joes)
1 ½ Cups cooked shredded chicken breast
3.5 oz package of crumbled feta cheese
10 oz package of grape tomatoes, quartered
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
½ Cup-3/4 Cup Italian Dressing (I used Ken's Italian)
Pinch of salt and pepper
Fresh Baby Spinach leaves

1. Cook brown rice according to package directions (use rice cooker, if available, much quicker). Let cool or refrigerate. Once cool, place all ingredients except spinach, into a large bowl. Lightly toss to coat. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste and serve over a bed of fresh baby spinach leaves. Drizzle top with additional dressing if desired. Serve cold.

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Wild Rice SoupThis is such a yummy soup. It's quick, easy and on the table in about 20 minutes. If you are in need of a quick dinner, this soup does the trick. Serve with some rolls and call it good. I used the remaining wild rice I had left-over from the salad and voila', your done!

Creamy Chicken Vegetable Wild Rice Soup

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 Cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
¾ Cup milk or heavy cream
2 Cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1 Cup cooked wild rice (I got mine from Trader Joes, precooked)
Pinches of salt and pepper to taste

1. Place oil into a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, carrots and celery for 8-10 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic for 1 minute then add chicken broth soups, milk, chicken, salt and pepper. Heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through. Serve and enjoy