Cooking Thursday: Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Hello dear Friends!

Happy Thursday to you and I hope you're doing well. 💗

It has been rather interesting here in the northwoods. First we had days of 90 to 100* temps. Now we have had wildfires from Canada and also some areas closer to us in the states and the Boundary Waters too. So we have been enveloped with a thick blanket of smoke. It looks like we're fogged in, but if you go outside it smells and tastes like you are in the middle of a campfire. It's the worst air quality we have ever had in our area. We have always been known for our pristine air, lakes, and forests. And with the environmental issues affecting our world we are once again dealing with wildfires. I have lived here my whole 54 years and never had these issues until the past 4-5 years it has become a regular thing. I pray for all those truly suffering through this and hope it clears up soon!🙏🏻 

So needless to say, this summer has now started to feel like we are trapped indoors. We only go out when truly necessary. We haven't been able to mow or do the yard projects that need catching up. I know there are far worse things... and I'm grateful we are healthy and don't have issues from the air. But it's frustrating when our summers are already so short. 

This was the sun coming up this morning:

I was out (quickly) watering my flowers earlier today. Our lilies have been popping out and I took this pic and you can see off to the right the thick haze:

But I'm sure you didn't pop by to listen to my belly achin'. Lol 

What I wanted to share for a recipe today is this green goddess pasta salad. I follow a young gal on social media called cooking.em and she does a lot of healthy twists on yummy food. And I knew Annie would especially love this salad... so I made it for us all a few weeks ago. 

Now with the worries about fresh produce - it may not be something you want to make right now, as it has a bit of fresh produce and herbs. But I'm sharing it anyways as it was really yummy and fresh and you may want to make it sometime. 

 

The recipe is below but she had a video for her instructions. So I will share what I did. I boiled the pasta (I used tricolor veggie pasta). While it was boiling I washed & cut up the fresh veggies and herbs. When there was about 2 minutes of boiling time left I threw some frozen peas, frozen edamame, and fresh asparagus (cut up) into the pot too... in order to blanch them a few minutes. Then I drained all into a big colander and rinsed with cold water to stop the cooking of the pasta and veggies. I put all into a big bowl.

To that bowl I added the cut up fresh veggies of pepper, cucumber and instead of green onion I threw in some chives from my garden. I tossed everything together. 

I then blended all of the dressing ingredients in the blender. 

I then put the dressing onto the pasta and mixed it all together.

I didn't use arugula - I had some spinach to use up. So I added that and some mozzarella balls (I wanted to use mozzarella pearls but they didn't have them at the store). So I cut the balls smaller - but you could just cube up some cheese too. 

This was really easy and so fresh and tasty. It's wonderful as a side for a BBQ or to have as a main dish. If you wanted to add more protein, as a main dish, I would throw in some grilled or rotisserie chicken too. Here is the recipe:

Enjoy! And have a great weekend ahead. xo

Cooking Thursday: Peach Overnight Oats & Berry French Toast Bake

 

Hello Friends and Happy Thursday 🌸💗

Today I thought I'd share a couple of recipes. 

First of all, I wanted to share overnight oats I made the other day. Peaches are so good right now and we got a really yummy box of them from Costco. So I had been having one for breakfast almost every morning. And then I decided one of the days to make overnight oats to top with cut up peaches. I have always used the same basic recipe for overnight oats which is: Equal parts oats and yogurt (I used a peach flavored one)...and then adding a milk of choice, chia seeds, some honey or maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. And often a pinch of salt too. Let soak in the fridge overnight. Then the next morning I added some chopped peaches, coconut and walnuts. It was so good! Overnight oats are so versatile and you can add your flavors of choice.

So for the overnight oats:

1/2 c. of oats

1/2 c. yogurt (I used a honey peach flavor)

1/4 c. milk (I used fairlife protein milk)

honey or maple syrup to taste

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Cover and put in the fridge overnight. The next morning add chopped fruit (in this case peaches) and toppings of choice (nuts, coconut, granola etc) Sometimes I have added a little natural peanut butter to overnight oats and topped with berries... it makes a very pb&j flavored oats. Mmmm

Just be creative!

Then last weekend I made this berry cream cheese french toast at the lake. Matt's folks are eating more keto - so I used keto buns, fairlife protein milk and a little bit of half and half for the custard, and some natural sweetners, and some brown sugar. It was so tasty!! I found this recipe at Sallys Baking Addiction I liked that it was very patriotic looking for July 4th weekend too. Everyone loved it! It was kind of like breakfast bread pudding. We topped with some syrup (I think they had sugar-free at the lake). It was a hit ....and I think it would be even better soaking it overnight, as opposed to only 3 hours the day I made it. His Mom wanted the recipe. :) 

When it was all done and baked up - I topped it with a little bit of confectioners sugar. Yum! The bits of sweetened cream cheese were so good in this!! Definitely recommend you give it a try. Here is the recipe:

 

Cooking Thursday (on a Friday): Date Treats & Happy Independence Day!

 

Hello Friends!

Happy Friday to you. I was busy with a few things yesterday - including making some meals and goodies to bring my Mom & step Dad. By the way, thank you so much for your kind words and prayers for them. My Mom said the meds are helping her shingles and she's doing well overall.

So that's why I didn't get here for Cooking Thursday but I'm doing it today. Also, Happy July to you!

I'm not sure when that snuck in here because it feels like it was just May. But such is the speed of time these days I swear. It has definitely been feeling like July here. The last couple days have been close to 90* F! Hot stuff ☀️ 

It was a nice evening once it cooled off last night so Matt, Annie & I went out for sushi for dinner and then got in some mini golf. The summer is so fleeting here that it feels wonderful sneaking in fun summery things even on the week days. 

Today I thought I'd share more about the dates I had made and brought for our weekend at the lake. Matt's folks have been trying to be better about their diet and so instead of bringing bars, pie or really naughty treats I brought those dates. They still give a richness and candy bar like fix - but they are less calories and at the base of them a date...which also adds fiber. 

They are pretty self explanatory. I bought a box of medjool dates from Costco. These were nice as they were pitted. But otherwise, just cut them open and scoop out the pit. Take a litte teaspoon and fill with your filling of choice. Top with a dollop of melted chocolate (semi sweet chocolate chips I microwaved until they were melted and stirred until smooth). And sprinkle a little sea salt on top. Chill and then dig in. 

For the dates in the photo above I placed a piece of walnut inside and then stuffed with a tsp scoop of peanut butter. You could put whatever nut you like or just do peanut butter. Once the dates were done I put them in the fridge to chill and set up. And I kept them in a container in the fridge. 

And feel free to get creative with how you want to make them. I have also made Dubai chocolate dates:

I picked up this pistachio cream with bits of kadayifi in it (shredded up crunchy phyllo dough bits) and then filled the dates with that. Then topped with the melted chocolate and sea salt just like the other ones. Just like a Dubai chocolate bar. So good! 

I think next I'm going to fill them with marshmallow cream or fluff and a little piece of graham cracker and then the chocolate topping to make a s'mores version. Just have fun and get creative with them! They are nice little bits to have in the fridge and so easy to grab for a very satisfying treat. To make them even healthier you could use Lily's chocolate chips which don't have added sugar and use plant based sweeteners. I just couldn't find them the last time I was at the store. 

Have you ever made or tried these? We really like them and hope you do too if you give them a try. 

And for those in the States that will be celebrating July 4th this weekend - I hope you have a very fun and safe one! For those who don't live in the states this will be a weekend of parades, picnics, BBQ's, sparklers & fireworks, and often time in or on the lake/beach (weather permitting). All to celebrate our Independence Day. And this year is extra big as it's our country's 250th birthday! Otherwise known as the Semiquincentennial (say that 5 times fast 😂)

So I thought I'd share a little vintage July 4th inspiration. 

No matter where you are in the world I hope you have a very blessed weekend ahead.

For the weekend I made these July 4th strawberries with white chocolate bark and some blue sugar. 

 Bubba & Ruby wish you a Happy 4th too! 

 🇺🇸❤️💙

Cooking Thursday: Apple Blueberry Crumble

 

Hey Friends!

Happy Thursday to you. The sun is shining in the northwoods and I'm going to tend my flowers soon and cut a pretty bouquet with all that's blooming here. 

I hope the sun is shining where you are and you are getting ready for fun plans for the weekend ahead!

Summer weekends call for yummy fruity treats, don't ya think?

So today I thought I'd share this recent apple blueberry crumble recipe I found and baked up. My Uncle had given us some wild blueberries he had picked last year and froze and I thought I should use some of them up. So I made this dessert for Father's Day for my Dad & Matt. It was so good warm with some vanilla bean ice cream. 

I forgot to get a photo after it was baked but here's kind of the vibe:

It was a pretty easy and straightforward crumble recipe I found at the site jamjarkitchen.com

You toss some sliced apples and blueberries with some sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, flour etc Then place in a greased baking dish.

Then make the crumble part with oats, sugar, flour and butter and put on top of the fruit and bake until golden and bubbling.

I used the frozen bluberries I had and didn't even thaw them. I followed the recipe as it is and it was so delish! 😋 Here is the recipe below. This combo was really good together. If you give a try I hope you enjoy it. 💗

To see the flowers I picked scroll to the bottom :) 

Thought you might want to see the bouquet I cut. My peonies are popping open like crazy. My lilac shrub finally bloomed! My bleeding hearts are on their way out but I still picked a few for the bouquet. And I added some wild queen Anne's lace (really a weed) growing along our deck. It all made for a lovely early summer bouquet in my opinion. 

Blessings to you 🌸

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

 

Hello lovely Friends! 

Happy Thursday to you. 💗

I hope wherever you are the sun is shining and that you'll have a nice gentle day today. We had some storms come through last night and give everything a nice big drink. Today the sun is shining and summer is in the air. ☀️💛

Summer makes me think of things like the strawberry rhubarb sauce I shared and you can find it here.

But it also makes me think of zucchini bread. Mmmm - with chocolate chips of course. 😋 Do you know the blog sallysbakingaddiction.com? I LOVE her recipes. I have made several through the years and they're always great. Here is one I recently made - and added the chocolate chips (if you know you know😉)

I definitely recommend you give it a go - or any other recipe she has on her blog. I even receive updates in my email from her. That's how I came across this recipe. 

Here's the loaf I made.

And here's the recipe off of her site:

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce (or sour cream or Greek yogurt)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) shredded zucchini (no need to blot)
• optional: 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts, raisins, etc)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. See notes for muffins.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together until combined. Whisk in the zucchini. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently stir or whisk until *just* combined; do not overmix. Fold in any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts. Batter is slightly thick.
3. Spread the batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes. (I like to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent heavy browning on top.) Baking times vary so keep an eye on yours. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out *mostly* clean with zero raw batter. Remove the bread from the oven and set on a wire rack. Cool in pan for 1 hour before removing from pan. You can slice the bread at this point, but it will still be warm in the center and may not slice neatly. For neat slices, continue cooling bread directly on a wire rack and then slice once cooled.
4. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead. 

xoxo

Cooking Thursday: Caramel Cashew Bars & Monte Cristo Sliders

 

Hello dear Friends ~

The weekend is in sight and I hope you have some fun plans ahead!

Speaking of fun...I thought I'd share the recipe for these fun bars I made recently that have been a favorite around here for years (just like the twix bars). I thought I had shared them on here before, but now I wonder if maybe I hadn't? So I thought I'd put the recipe down here today so you will have it for sure. 

I also made monte cristo sliders up at the lake for brunch a few weekends back. I forgot to take any pics but we all LOVED them. So I want to be sure to keep the recipe here for my own record. But also so you have it if you would like to try it as well. 😋💗

First up the bars. Think 7 layer bars (I think they're sometimes called magic cookie bars?) but instead of a graham cracker crust it is a sugar cookie dough crust. And instead of a sweetened condensed milk topping, you use a thickened caramel.  I just love cashews with caramel - thus caramel cashew bars were born! (PS: if you've never had a caramel cashew sundae you're missing out - give it a go!)

The recipe I was inspired by is actually in an old cookbook I have. And it was for caramel pecan bars. 

Here's the recipe from the old Pillsbury Holiday Baking cookbook I have (this recipe is under Autumn). So for these bars I just changed the pecans to cashews. And I also add butterscotch chips. So I did about 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and 1/2 c. of butterscotch chips (maybe a little extra of both but don't tell) 😉

These bars hold up well and don't need to be refrigerated. They'd be great to bring to a potluck. Plus they're delish and always a home run with folks! :)  

Next up I want to share the monte cristo sliders I made for our brunch at the lake a few weekends ago. It's a recipe under my "sliders" board on pinterest you can find if you click here.

Here is the recipe as it's posted from the jennifercooks site. They were easy and so amazing!! We had them as brunch along with fruit and some veggies and dip. Highly recommend giving them a try. The only thing I did differently is that I didn't have gruyere cheese and used provolone cheese slices and they were still amazing. 😋

Ingredients

• 1 package Sweet Hawaiian Dinner Rolls 12-count each
• ½ pound deli sliced smoked ham
• ½ pound deli sliced smoked roasted turkey
• ½ pound Gruyère cheese hand grated

Sauce:

• 1 stick salted butter melted
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Garnish:

• Powdered sugar
• Raspberry Preserves

Instructions

Prepare the Baking Dish

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or foil, ensuring enough overhang to use as handles for easy lifting.
• Lightly coat the parchment paper-lined dish with cooking spray.

Assemble the Sliders

• Keeping the rolls connected, slice them horizontally as one unit. Do not separate into individual rolls.
  1 package Sweet Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
• Place the bottom half of the rolls into the prepared baking dish.
• Layer the ham, turkey, and grated Gruyère cheese evenly over the rolls.
  ½ pound deli sliced smoked ham,½ pound deli sliced smoked roasted turkey,½ pound Gruyère cheese

Make the Sauce

• In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, beaten egg, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise until smooth.
  1 stick salted butter,1 egg,1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce,2 tablespoons dijon mustard,2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Pour half of the sauce evenly over the layered cheese and meats.

Bake the Sliders

• Place the top half of the rolls over the assembled ingredients, pressing down lightly.
• Pour the remaining sauce over the tops, brushing to distribute evenly.
• Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
• If the tops brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning.

Finish & Serve

• Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Using the parchment paper handles, carefully lift the entire slab of sliders onto a cutting board.
• Cut into individual sliders with a sharp knife.
• Dust generously with powdered sugar.
• Serve warm with raspberry preserves on the side for dipping

Wishing you a great weekend ahead! If you try these recipes I sure hope you enjoy them as much as we did! 

xoxo