Simple Tomato Caprese Salad

 

Here is a SIMPLE and delicious recipe for those tasty garden cherry tomatoes!

Image from Here

Salad:
Salad Greens
Sliced cucumber
Sliced avocado
Fresh Mozzarella cheese balls
Sliced red onion
Cherry Tomatoes

Freshly Ground Pepper

Toasted almonds or pistachios (optional)

Dressing:
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic glaze

Chilled Crudite Asparagus with Mustard Dill Sauce

This is a delicious side dish or appetizer!  

Make sure you have fresh asparagus.  No one likes chewy wooden spears to swallow!  You can often find good asparagus all year round, but the best time of year is April-May-think Easter.

image from here

1.  Boil asparagus spears in water 1 minute.  Immediately immerse in an ICE water bath.  *Note the time for boiling depends on Asparagus thickness.  You want to error on the side of boiling less.  The 1 minute boiling time is for thinner asparagus (which I prefer since it is less "woody").  Make sure your asparagus is FRESH--it makes a HUGE difference!

2.  You can serve immediately with sauce, or store in a plastic bag in fridge until ready to serve.  I LOVE THIS dish because it can be made ahead of time.

3.  Arrange asparagus on platter.  Before serving, squeeze 1/2 a lemon over asparagus.  Optional:  grind a little fresh pepper and sprinkle salt over asparagus. Serve with this delicious Dill Mustard Dip (recipe below).

Herb Dip:
1/2 c. fresh chopped Italian Parsley
1 tsp dill
2 tsp prepared mustard (dijon or regular)
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonaise
juice from one lemon (or more to taste)
freshly ground pepper

Basil Tomato Panini

It is Garden Basil and Tomato Season!  Enjoy a simple and amazing Grilled Panini sandwich!

INGREDIENTS:
Sliced Sourdough (I love the Cracked Wheat Sourdough from Trader Joes)
Mayo OR Basil Pesto (pictured)
Fresh Basil
Sliced fresh tomatoes
Provolone or mozzerella cheese (or a combo of both!)

Lemon Herb Tahini Sauce/Dressing

 

This is my best copycat attempt at the Utah Chain Spitz Restaurant's Lemon-Herb Tahini sauce.  It isn't quite the same, but it is good!  If you've never been to Spitz, I recommend their salad with this dressing, or the Street Cart fries with lamb/beef, and double the amount of all the toppings!  This sauce also works great on your favorite protein bowl combination, such as the BLT Bliss bowl, or Greek Protein Bowl.

• 
  
• INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢¼ cup fresh parsley, tightly packed
• ▢¼ cup fresh chives
• ▢1/3 cup fresh cilantro
• ▢¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢¼ cup lemon juice
• ▢
• ▢2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢½ cup tahini
• 1/3 cup  water
• -Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

 I'm kind of a picky ranch sauce gal!  I have tried and tried so many recipes over the years.  I think this is the ONE!  My sister gave me the Magnolia Table cookbook.  I haven't loved too many of the recipes, but if I only get this one recipe from that book, it is worth it!  Enjoy! Image from here.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise* 
3/4 cup sour cream
2 TBS lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh dill (or 1/3 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp fresh chives
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper*
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

-Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

*The flavor varies depending on what kind of mayonnaise you use.  I usually use Kraft Olive Oil Mayo.

*I usually just do a pinch of cayenne

Simple Outdoor Italian Dining Table Setting

One fun thing to do when setting a table is to mix multiple types of dishes or cups.  Here you can see I used two types of goblets.  This adds fun interest, but it also allows you to to host larger groups despite your maybe limited (4-6 servings) of a cup or plate. 

Menu

Appetizer Green Salad

Main Dish: Tour of Italy Lasagna 

Sides: Pesto Green Beans and diced fruit

Artisan Bread with oil and vinegar dipping dishes

Dessert: Apple Crisp of Cobbler with Ice Cream

For a narrow centerpiece down the middle:

Fill Glass bottles/jars with dry pasta

Cans of the Yellow Cento Crushed Tomatoes (you could also place some plants in these if emptied)

A strand of battery powered gold globe lights

Fake succulent plants I have around my house

 

Simple Summer Chacuterie Board

My son wanted a Chacuterie board for his birthday.  

Here is a simple one with some favorite foods of his!

Cubed cheese

Triscuits

Pickles

Grapes

Strawberries

Baby Carrots

Kale Chips

Cheeseball

Coconut Almonds

 

Mandy's Gourmet Salads Cookbook

 

I HIGHLY recommend this cookbook!  I have loved all of the recipes.  There are SO many salad dressing recipes in here and they are delicious!

This is also a really fun read to learn about two sisters who started a restaurant business in Montreal, Cananda (one a designer and one a chef) and then created this cookbook.  

My daughter lived in Montreal and went to Mandy's a couple of times.  It was always such a delicious treat.  Someday I want to go to one of their restaurants!  Anyone want to go with me?

Greek Salad Protein Bowl

Beautiful and Delicious.  

I crave Greek food now. Something about the combination---YUM!

Ingredients:

Spinach

Cabbage

Cucumbers

cherry tomatoes

pumpkin seeds

feta

avocado (sprinkle with salt/pepper)

Chickpeas (either canned or the crunchy ones)

chicken

Microgreens

Hummus

Almonds

Tzatiki yogurt sauce (optional-the one from Trader Joes is delicious if you want to buy it)

Salad Dressing:

I like to either use Olive Garden Italian Dressing or 

this homemade Divine Lemon Basil Caesar Dressing or

this homemade Lemon-Herb Tahini sauce

 

Fluffy Banana Pancakes

Here is a fun pancake variation-Think banana bread in pancake form!  

These make great on the go leftovers!

Image from here.

Makes 16-20 pancakes

In medium bowl combine:

2 eggs

3 bananas very ripe, mashed

4 tablespoons sugar

Add:

2 cups all-purpose flour (or wheat flour)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

6 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a medium bowl, beat the mashed banana, sugar, and eggs together until blended. Add all of the other ingredients and whisk until combined.  The batter will be slightly lumpy due to the mashed bananas.
• Heat a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Using a ⅓-cup measuring cup, pour 3-4 circles of batter into the pan. Cook until the pancakes are puffed on top and golden brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side until risen and cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. 
• Serve with banana slices and maple syrup.