Pesto Pasta Salad

Sometimes when I am making pasta salad it becomes a matter to use whatever I have on hand and just throw it all together. As was this case with this recipe.  Kidney beans make this a very fulling and satisfying salad.  As usual when cooking I make too much especially since there are only the two of us in the house.  So this made a tasty and fulling lunch the next day. 

Recipe:

1/2 lb of pasta: bowties, ziti, rotini whatever you like

1 15oz can drained, rinsed kidney beans (or cannelli, or chickpeas)

1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers

1/4 chopped olives (I had a mixture on hand from the deli counter)

1 1/2 tablespoons of pesto

salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil to thin and to taste

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.  Strain pasta and rinse with cold water.  Toss with all other ingredients. Taste.  add more pesto, olive oil, or seasonings to taste.

* I also had a few slices of fresh mozzarella on hand I chopped it and threw it in too, but feta would also be a good cheese to add.

This pasta salad made a great side to some crab cakes and salad

Broccoli Snacks

These were one of the easist sides to make.  And honestly I think the leftovers would make for a great breakfast with an egg.

Broccoli Bites:

chopped broccoli: Either: 1 box frozen  or freshly steamed a good size bunch

3 eggs

1 cup of breadcrumbs

1 cup of shredded cheese.

Mix all ingreidents in a bowl.  Form mixture into small patties.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes turning halfway through. 

Banana Rum Sauce with Waffles

I made these awhile ago and forgot about them.  They had been a birthday breakfast for my husband Joe on his birthday. He is a big fan of rum and tropical flavors.  In the past I had made this mixture before for french toast this was the first time I threw in the rum.  So it tastes great either way.  I admit the waffles were from a mix in our waffle iron.  This post is all about the sauce!

Banana Rum Sauce:

1-2 two bananas depending on size, sliced

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoon of butter

1 oz of rum

Heat butter in a skillet.  Add the brown sugar and mix until dissolved.  Add the rum and let cook about 5 minutes.  Add the bananas.  Cook until the bananas started to soften, about another 5 minutes.  Serve on top of waffles.  Or pancakes.  Or french toast. Or ice cream!

A Take on Chicken Cordon Blue

Recently I had come across a few recipes in the plethora of magazines I subscribe to about chicken cordon blue.  It made me crave it.  Knowing that I am trying to eat healthy I want a lighter version.  I found one. I made my grocery list and I went shopping. However as often things happen my husband and I ate all the ham before I actually had the opportunity to make this dish.  so I got a little resourceful.  My husband had purchased an Italian meat sample pack.  So instead of traditional ham we went with prosciutto.  I had Swiss on had, but since I also had some provolone I went with that instead.  To keep it a little healthier it is all baked and not fried. Also I used a mix of whole wheat bread crumbs and panko. I served the chicken with a spinach salad and some smokey roasted potatoes.

Chicken:

4 thinly sliced chicken cutlets

4 or 5 slices of prosciutto (depending on size)

4 or 5 thinly slices of provolone

1 egg and 1 egg white beaten

1 cup of bread crumb mixture (about equal parts of flavored whole wheat and some panko)

           **I usually add a little extra flavor to my breadcrumbs some garlic powder, onion powder

Rinse and pat dry the chicken.  Lay on a flat surface.  cut the prosciutto so that it will lay flat along the chicken. Repeat with the provolone.  Tightly roll chicken securing end with toothpick.  Dip rolled chicken in egg and then into breadcrumbs.  Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Potatoes:

4-5 small potatoes quartered (* small red or baby Yukon gold work well also just halve)

Olive oil

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

In a small casserole dish place the cut potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle all spices on top.  Toss potatoes to coat.  Roast in oven.  *I kept oven at 350 since that is what chicken needed so it took about 30 -40 minutes for potatoes to cook.  Once easily pricked with fork and golden they are ready. 

Green Mango-Pineapple Smoothie

Tropical Green Mango-Pineapple Smoothie

In my efforts to continue to introduce new healthier foods into my diet I decided to go green, literally.  My husband loves to make smoothies, so I convinced him to add in some spinach for a healthy kick.  With some fresh mangos and pineapple in the house it was a tropical blend waiting to get into our blender.

Our Mixture:

handful of spinach
1/2 cup of freshly chopped pineapple
1/2 cup of freshly chopped mango
1/4 cup plain kefir
1/2 cup of coconut water
either honey or agave nectar to taste for sweetness
ice

Put it all in the blender and blend.  Adjust ice to desired thickness.  Enjoy!

So yummy!

paired well with my veggie fritatta 

Husband Birthday Surprise

Sometimes in our busy lives there is not always time or money to have an elaborate celebration for one's brithday. For most adults birthdays seem to just come and go without a real pause to celebrate the person.  I have not met a single person who doesn't smile when their birthday is acknowledged.  I always feel however that a birthday is a time that should be filled with a few things: 1- Cake~ is a must to celebrate any birthday 2- Balloons~ I think they make any birthday special and festive 3- Favorite meal~ I think it just makes the birthday person feel that more special.  As my husband has told me I am always very thoughtful when it comes to gifts and surprises.  Sometimes its not about the amount of money you spend but that you actually took the time to put some extra thought into the gift or surprise for that person.  For my husband's brithday this year I took some ideas I saw on Pinterest.  My husband works on the weekend and his birthday fell on a Sunday this year.  I had ample time to carry out my plan.  I started the day with a breakfast he wanted rum banana waffles.  When he left for work I went to work and decorated our bedroom for his surprise!  He turned 38 so I printed 38 pictures of him and wrote on the back of each one a different reason why I loved him.  Some I attached to helium balloons, others I placed on the streamers I hung near our windows. Honestly I wanted to hang them all from balloons, but for two reasons I could not, one that would have been a lot of balloons, and two attaching more then one to the balloons weighed them down (I did try) Next I bought a bag of assorted balloons and a happy birthday sign from target and used it in my decorating.  We have a birthday hat I bought when we moved in together I keep recycling every year that always makes it way into the celebration!  And since my husband would only be home for his hour dinner break I prepared an antipasti platter as our dinner.  Something my husband loves. 

A sign on the door to announce the surprise!

His favorite meal: Antipasti