::RECIPE:: Rhubarb & Raspberry Crostini

As soon as I bit into this scrumptious little dessert, I knew I'd be sharing it with you. My girls took a cooking camp a few weeks ago and came home raving about this recipe. We served it to Garland for his Father's Day dinner and it was a hit.  

What did the girls love about it?  It's YUMMY.

What did I love about it?  It's HEALTHY.

So...here you go--a fun, easy dessert that would be perfect for July 4th.  

Maybe just add a blueberry to the top?

Rhubarb & Raspberry Crostini

1 whole wheat baguette

1/2 cup mascarpone

2 pints raspberries

1/4 cup agave (original recipe called for honey)

1 tbsp canola oil

4 large stalks rhubarb

2 teaspoons sugar

zest of 1 lemon

Slice baguette into 1/2" slices. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes on each side or until golden.

In the meantime, saute rhubarb and raspberries in oil over medium heat until soft.  

Transfer fruit to the food processor. Add sugar and blend until smooth.

Assemble your divine desert:

Spread some mascarpone on your slice of bread.  Top with blended fruit, a drizzle of agave (or honey), a little bit of lemon zest and a whole raspberry.

Take a big bite.

And then when you are done, spend time with your daddy cutting the rope.

And let your mommy sit back, observe and feel grateful.  

Oh yeah, and clean up the dishes.

Try it.  You won't regret it.

::RECIPE:: Mame's Cheesy Potatoes

Years ago when I was in college, my roommate Ann's parents came to visit. And like any good parent-of-a-college-student, her mom made us dinner. I have no recollection of the entire menu but I have never forgotton the CHEESY POTATOES. I've craved those stinkin' potatoes ever since, never quite able to find a comparable recipe. Fast forward 14 years (Oh.Em.Gee. we are that old?!) and I am once again living in the same city as dear old Ann and her mother's cheesy potatoes. So after some notsosubtle stalking, I got the recipe this weekend.

And I am good blogger friend to you, readers, so I am sharing.

Mame's Cheesy Potatoes

1 package Southern Style frozen hash browns (potatoes in a cubed form have never tasted so delectable)
1/2 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup LIGHT sour cream (we're watching our figures here, peeps)
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Melt butter in large pan and saute onion until cooked. Combine all ingredients. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees until bubbly and melted and yummy.

Oh and because I am a total non-food snob, lunch today was slices of farmers market tomato with a scoop 'o cheesy potatoes on top. Seriously good. (Side note: Ann prefers them the next day.)

Purple Cow

We recently got a Breville Juicer after a friend mentioned to me that she "juiced." We are hooked! It is a great way to get the girls, who don't normally like eating fruit, to get their fruits & veggies. One of our favorite recipes is for "Purple Cow" from The Everything Juicing Book:

LOVE the color...

Happy (and healthy!) girl!

::RECIPE:: Flann's Antipasto Salad

I'm this close (see me pinching my fore finger and thumb together?) to taking The 100 Days of Real Food Pledge.  Have you heard about this?  We went through a phase last year where we ate really, really clean.  No sugar, nothing white, whole grain everything, high in proteins, green, etc.  (That means you Mr. Twizzlers and Ms. Starburst Jelly Beans.  

So now I am feeling kinda sorta settled from our move which means it's kinda sorta time to rethink about the I-am-in-the-process-of-a-move-so-I-can-eat-whatever-I-want diet.  You know the one, right?  The one that pops at the holidays, summer vacation, etc.

This is Day 1 of getting back on the horse.  Or, at least beginning the I-am-almost-ready-to-take-the-100-day-challenge lifestyle change. Is white wine a clean food?

Flann's Antipasto Salad

(I'm no purist, so don't expect authentic, just good.)

1 green pepper, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled & chopped

1 small jar of marinated artichokes, chopped

1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted & chopped

1/2 cup grape tomatoes

1 small shallot, diced

1/2 cup salami

1/4 cup parmesan, shaved 

(just use a veggie peeler if you don't have a cheese shaver thingymajig)

1/4 cup basil, cut in a chiffonade

Mix all of your veggies together with the salami.

Drizzle with any vinaigrette you want (balsamic or red wine vinegar will do), any amount you are willing to consume. 

Honestly, though, the ingredients do some serious talking for themselves so it doesn't need a lot of dressing.

Top with basil & parmesan.

And definitely feel free to overdo it on the parmesan.  I mean, cheese is a protein, right?

Seriously?  It takes next to no dishes, tons of protein and veggies and loaded with flavor and color.  Isn't it pretty?

Oh, and substitute with what you've got in your fridge & pantry.  Some other ideas would be: red onion, red pepper, green olives, different cheeses like feta or goat.  Ooohhh...what about some other herbs like mint?  

Enjoy!

::RECIPE:: Chicken Chili

In college, my boyfriend's mom used to send him back to campus with delicious leftovers that he so graciously shared with me. One of my favorite meals was Chicken Chili and once I started making it, well, I couldn't stop. It's my go-to recipe that my whole family loves and yes, that boyfriend is now my husband and my mother-in-law is still inspiring me with all her great recipes. I've been making Chicken Chili for 15 years or so and I still love it just as much today as I did back then.

Ingredients:

salt & pepper

2 or 3 large chicken breasts on the bone

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 T olive oil

1 - 1.5 cups of water or chicken stock

1 can (15 ounces) white navy or cannellini beans (include juices)

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans (include juices)

1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel white corn or shoepeg corn

cumin (liberal amount)

oregano (liberal amount)

shredded Monterey Jack cheese

tortilla chips

a little hot sauce if you like it spicy

a dollop of sour cream

and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro if you're fancy

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, and then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Transfer to a stockpot. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until flavors merry. Serve with shredded cheese & tortilla chips!

Easiest Appetizer Ever: Bacon Wrapped Dates

Let's face it, anything wrapped in bacon is a crowd pleaser. :) And, in honor of Super Bowl Sunday, I wanted to share with ya'll my favorite appetizer recipe: Bacon Wrapped Dates. These are ALWAYS a hit - I promise! The best part about them (other than the bacon)!? You only have to buy two ingredients!

Photo courtesy of RecipeBridge

Ingredients:
1 package of bacon (I use turkey bacon!)
1 package of pitted dates
toothpicks


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut each piece of bacon in half. Wrap each date with a half slice of bacon. Secure bacon with a toothpick & place on cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until bacon is slightly crispy. Serve immediately with ketchup, BBQ sauce, & mustard! **If you are feeling adventurous, you can stuff the dates (prior to baking) with blue cheese - YUM!

Gobble, Gobble

Our friend Tracie over at Cleverly Inspired is doing a Thanksgiving Recipe link party.  Anyone want to join in the fun?!  I have two recipes to share.  The first comes from my grandmother: Gram's Turkey Casserole.  It's total down-home, stick-a-butta, stick to your ribs goodness.  It's what we always have day after Thanksgiving!


Here I am last Thanksgiving with Gram and a bun in the oven (and possibly too much turkey goodness).





Gram's Turkey Casserole
1 can cream of mushroom soup

8 ounce package, Pepperidge Farms stuffing

1 pint sour cream

1/4 lb. butter melted (1 stick)

1 cup chicken broth

4 cups chicken or turkey

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sour cream and soup and mix well. Stir in meat. On stove, melt butter and add broth. Stir into stuffing. Stuffing should be moist. Put chicken mixture into casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly.


******
Now my next recipe to share comes from my husband's side of the family: Sally B's Cornbread Dressing.  Can you say delish?!  It's wonderful.  But take note: don't go buy the store-made cornbread on this one; that cornbread is entirely too sweet.  Take the time to make this cornbread from scratch!


Sally B's Cornbread Dressing
3 cups cornmeal
3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp baking powder

3 eggs

3 cups milk (with 1/4 to 1/2 water)

1/3 cup oil

9 x13 baking pan

Preheat over to 450. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients. Mix eggs and milk together, then mix with dry ingredients. Heat oil in baking pan.  when piping hot, pour in batter and bake at 450 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

1 pan cornbread

2 green peppers, diced (can do 1 red and 1 green)

3 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

4 tbsp butter

black pepper

sage

1 ltr Knorr’s Caldo de Pollo (chicken stock/bouillion)

Preheat oven to 350. Cut cornbread into small cubes and put in large mixing bowl.  Saute green pepper, celery, and onion in butter, then dump in mixing bowl. Pour sufficiently caldo de pollo over to moisten but not to soggy level. Season with black pepper and sage. Place mixture in baking dish and bake at 250 until brown top.


Bon Appetit friends!


This post is linking to the following link party.