Saturday, July 4, 2015

July 4, 2015

Happy July 4th!!! Wow - where is the summer going?  It is rushing by like sand through my fingers; yikes!  But we are immensely enjoying the summer so far, and have many more fun plans ahead of us still to go.  We had a family wedding on the lake, swimming lessons, lacrosse tournaments, tennis games, sleep-overs, fire-pit nights, bike rides.  What's not to love about the summer?

Summer meals have been mostly grilled, so we haven't had too many opportunities to try out lots of new dishes.  But there have been a few keepers so I've finally found the time to archive them here.  Is your garden bursting with zucchini and tomatoes?  If so - try spiralized zucchini and tomatoes.  Is your sweet tooth looking for something other than summer popsicles and ice cream?  If so - try white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies or cookies and cream Rice Krispy treats.  Feeling like mixing Italian and Mexican food?  If so  - try tex/mex lasagna

Happy Cooking!

New Recipes
Sprialized zucchini and grape tomatoes
White chocolate chip oatmeal cookies
Cookies and cream Rice Krispy treats
Tex/Mex lasagna

Spiralized Zucchini with Grape Tomatoes



Ingredients
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 3/4 lb grape tomatoes, cut in half (quarter them if needed)
* pinch red pepper flakes
* kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
* 1 tsp chopped fresh basil
* 1 large zucchini, spiralized

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 30 seconds.  Add the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the tomatoes soften.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add in the zucchini and basil.  Toss the zucchini in the sauce to coat and cook for 2 minutes.  Serve right away and enjoy!

Notes
I love spiralized zucchini!!  I love tomatoes!!!  A recipe that combined the two?  Sign me up! As your harvest both zucchinis and tomatoes from your garden this summer, give this side dish a try.  You will love it! 













White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies




Ingredients
* 3/4 cup AP flour (95 g)
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 cup butter, melted
* 3/4 cup brown sugar (150 g)
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup cookie butter (example, Biscoff spread)
* 2 tsp vanilla extract
* 2 cups quick oats (160g)
* 1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment or baking mats.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.  Set it aside.
3. Whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl.  Then whisk in the egg.  Then whisk in the cookie butter. Whisk in the vanilla.  Everything should be very well combined. 
4. Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and combine.  The dough will be very soft and slick.  Fold in the oats and then the white chocolate chips.  The dough will now be very stiff and thick.
5. Roll the dough into heaping tablespoon balls and place on the cookie sheets.  Cook for 8-10 minutes, keeping an eye on them until you know the amount of time needed for your oven.  The cookies should look very soft and a bit under-baked when they are ready to come out of the oven.  Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack.

Notes
Watch out...these cookies are FANTASTIC!!!!  Quite possibly they are my favorite cookie, at least at the moment.  :)   If you do not have quick oats - don't despair!  If you have regular or old fashioned oats in your pantry just  measure out how much you need by weight (if possible) and then pulse them in a food processor or blender 4 or 5 times.  Now you have quick oats!!!

Cookies and Cream Rice Krispy Treats



Ingredients
* 4 tbsp butter
* 10.5 oz mini marshmallows
* 6 cups rice krispies
* 1.5 cups crushed Oreo cookies, divided
* 1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions
1. Melt the butter over medium heat.  Add in the marshmallows and stir until melted.  Remove the pot from the heat.
2. Add the cereal to the marshmallow mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add in 1 cup of crushed Oreos and again stir until combined.
3. Press into a 9x13 prepped with cooking spray.
4. Melt the white chocolate chips and spread over the treats.  Sprinkle the final half cup of crushed Oreos over the white chocolate.
5. Set the bars to rest for an hour before cutting.  Enjoy!

Notes
Almost as fast as traditional Rice Krispy Treats but a fabulous and easy twist!  Bookmark this recipe for your next bake sale or make them for the lunch boxes for back to school!  Easy and delicious!

Tex-Mex Lasagna



Ingredients
* 1 lb lean ground turkey or ground beef
* 1 can (16 oz) refried black beans
* 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
* 3/4 cup frozen corn
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
* 1 envelope of taco seasoning (or 3 tbsp of your own)
* 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
* 3 cups salsa
* no cook lasagna noodles (12-16)
* 3 cups shredded cheese (whatever kind or kinds you want!)
* chopped green onions, sour cream, avocado, all optional

Directions
1. Cook and drain the meat.  Stir in the beans, corn, jalapeno, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup tomato sauce.
2. Combine the salsa and remaining tomato sauce.  Prepare a 9x 13 pan with cooking spray and then spread 1/4 cup or so of the salsa sauce onto the bottom of the pan.
3.  Layer the noodles on the bottom (have them overlap slightly), then put some of the meat mixture, salsa mixture and then some cheese.  Continue to repeat these layers until you run out of either ingredients or space in the pan.  Reserve a little cheese for the top, but do not put it on yet.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes. Remove the foil and spread on the remaining cheese.  Turn the oven up to broil and watch for the cheese to melt, maybe 2-4 minutes.
5. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before cutting. 
6. Serve and pass with green onions, sour cream and avocado is desired!  Enjoy!

Notes
Delicious!!! I do not like refried beans but I had never had refried black beans and they were great in this dish.  We will definitely make this again.  I imagine making it the night before and cooking it the following evening.  Probably will need to up the cooking time if it is coming out of the fridge but it would be great to have a hot all in one meal ready without any day-of prep or cooking!