Colorful Caprese

Tags

appetizer, basil, BBQ, bocconcini, ciliegine, cold food, dinner, entree, food, foodie, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, grape tomatoes, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, lunch, mozzarella, mozzarella balls, picnic, postaday2011, pot luck, raw foods, recipe, salad, side dishes, tomatoes, vegetable, yellow tomatoes

Caprese is a summer classic, that’s why it’s my go to recipe. It’s always requested, but never the same. You can serve it sliced and stacked, as a kabob or cut and mixed as salad. At the beginning of the year, I served yellow tomato caprese for the teachers’ back-to-school. It seemed only fitting to use yellow tomatoes in my caprese for the end-of-the-year party today! So since I never serve anything exactly the same way twice, I’ll share my current variation. I halved golden grape tomatoes (first time I’ve found these at the store!!!), red grape tomatoes and the mozzarella balls (ciliegine). Then, I tossed them together with extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped sweet basil, fresh ground sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper. Just before serving I will drizzle with some balsamic vinegar.

Colorful Caprese

The hardest part is making sure the caprese is not devoured before leaving the house… with this dish, it’s not just Hubster, it’s also me!

Which summer dish do you prepare multiple variations?

Advertisement

Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Pecan Encrusted Chicken

Tags

balsamic, cannellini beans, chicken, dinner, dinner salad, entree salad, gorgonzola, honey balsamic, light fare, lighter fare, lunch, postaday2011, salad, side dishes, spinach, strawberries, vinaigrette, white kidney beans

Extra strawberries? Perfect for one of my favorite salads. When I waited tables in grad school, the restaurant had an entrée salad similar to this recipe. Of course, I always was adding and omitting things to make it my own.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Pecan Encrusted Chicken

Ingredients:
pecan encrusted chicken, baby spinach, strawberries, gorgonzola cheese, cannellini beans, honey balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:
Arrange spinach on place and added sliced strawberries and cannellini beans. Sprinkle with gorgonzola. Slice chicken breast and place on top of salad. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

This time I didn’t have enough time to marinate my chicken breasts overnight. So I rubbed them with maple syrup and allowed them to sit 15 minutes (okay, I was starving, so that is pushing it) and dipped them straight into the flour, skipping the milk…

Vegetarian Version:
Skipped the chicken and opt for  plain or candied pecans… mmm…

Strawberry Spinach Salad

What is your favorite entrée salad?

Fav’ House Salad

Tags

artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoe, cherry tomatoes, dinner salad, entree salad, food, foodie, fresh tomatoes, hearts of palm, kalamata olives, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, mozzarella, olives, postaday2011, recipe, salad, side dishes, spring mix, vinaigrette

Yes, I am a judgmental person when it comes to food. I believe the house salad sets the tone and taste for the expected meal. First of all, I do not like blasé iceberg lettuce. And adding shredded carrots, cucumbers and sliced tomatoes does not make the salad interesting either. And croutons? Please! They are only admissible when made fresh for a crock french onion soup. However, there is one restaurant I enjoy dining at that makes a fantastic house salad!

Fav' House Salad

Ingredients:
spring mix (no romaine, no iceberg), kalamata olives, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella

Directions:
Assemble ingredients on a chilled salad plate and serve with dressing.

Of course you can get any dressing you desire, however their house dressing is a perfect complement to the salad. Their tangy vinaigrette is simple and cleansing to the palette. They serve their house salad with fresh brick-oven focaccia. Double the salad size to make it an entrée salad.

Do you have a restaurant favorite?

Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

Tags

Baking, cooking, course, coursed meal, dinner, food, foodie, light fare, light lunch, lighter fare, lunch, postaday2011, recipe, side dishes, soup, vegetarian

Last night I was feeling miserable… when I got home from work, I crawled into Hubster’s recliner, covered in three blankets and waited (asleep) for him to get home from his late night. On his way home, Hubster went to a local restaurant shortly before they closed and asked them to make chicken soup for me, and it’s not even on their menu (after all it’s an Italian joint). Well, I thought it was a really sweet thing for him to do… and he must’ve appealed to the romantic in them because they made me soup (a lot of soup). It was a lot better than him running out to get Campbell’s. The kindness of the restaurant combined with the sweetness of Hubster, made me feel better.

Today, still a little under the weather, I was feeling the need for soup. Tonight, I made one of my favorite seasonal soups… Roasted Butter Nut Squash & Pear Soup…

Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Soup

 

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, 2 pears, 2 c. vegetable stock, 2 c. heavy cream, 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar, 1 shallot, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 2 tsp. fresh grated ginger, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, turkey bacon (for vegetarian version substitute roasted butternut squash seeds), gorgonzola cheese

Directions:
Cut squash into cubes and bake in oven (you can also steam, but I prefer the roasted flavor). In stock pan, sauté minced shallot in butter. Core and cut pears. In food processor blend together all ingredients except cream, bacon & cheese. Return mixture to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add cream allow to simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Serve hot and garnish with gorgonzola and crumbled turkey bacon, or gorgonzola and roasted butternut squash seeds (vegetarian version).

Mmm…

What’s something sweet someone has done for you recently?

Asparagus Gruyère Quiche

Tags

asparagus, brunch, dinner, food, gourmet, Gruyère, light fare, lighter fare, lunch, mini quiche, quiche, recipe, snack

I got new tart tins, the perfect size for making a personal sized quiche. I served this as a side to a dinner and I wanted this dish to be more mild than a typical quiche (so not to overpower the Gruyère), so I left out the onions or shallots that would normally be included. This also is great as a lighter option; pair it with my Harvest Salad for a perfect brunch menu or a lighter fare dinner.

Asparagus Gruyère Quiche

 

Ingredients:
Pie dough, asparagus spears, 2 c. shredded Gruyère cheese, 1 c. heavy cream, 6 eggs, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh ground sea salt

Directions:
Preheat oven 350ºF. Roll dough out to 1/8″ and cut about 1/4″ larger than the top of the tart tin. Place dough circle into tin and press to the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes or until dough starts to become a light golden color. Remove from oven and arrange three asparagus tips and three asparagus mid sections into crust. Top with grated Gruyère. Place tart tins on a baking tray. Whisk together eggs, cream, salt and pepper. Divide egg mixture and pour over asparagus. Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

What is your favorite combination of ingredients for quiche?

Harvest Salad

Tags

bleu cheese, butternut squash, dinner salad, food, light fare, lighter fare, lunch recipe, meal, pomegranate, recipe, roast butternut squash seeds, salad, salad course, salad dressing, side salad, spring mix, turkey bacon

This is the perfect addition to lunch or light fare dinner on a crisp fall day. Delicious flavors and wonderful textures all harmonizing in one bowl.

Young Wifey's Harvest Salad

For each salad you need:

Ingredients:
2 c. spring mix, 1 Granny Smith apple, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, 1/2 c. pomegranate seeds, 2 Tbs. roast (with nutmeg) butternut squash seeds , 2 Tbsp. crumbled bleu cheese, 4 pieces crumbled turkey bacon, 1 Tbs. ginger sesame seed dressing

Directions:
Place spring mix on salad plate or bowl. Core and cut apple into chunks, dip in lemon juice. Layer ingredients on top of spring mix, drizzle with dressing and serve.

What is you favorite light fare meal or salad?