Tomato Baked Eggs

This is one of my most favorite recipes. I know it says eggs, but I like this recipe for Lunch the most.  It's deliciously creamy with a little kick of spicy.  Above everything else though, it's insanely easy, and it's the perfect meal for brunch or even Father's Day.  Just a little hint to one of our upcoming summer holidays.

Ingredients

2 Large Eggs

1/4 C. Marinara Sauce

2-3 Tbs. Parmigano Reggiano, Grated

1 Tbs. Cream

1/8 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

1/8 tsp. Pepper

1 tsp. dried Parsley

1-2 tsp. Olive Oil

Touch of Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a small oven safe baking dish (I use my rachael ray dish) spread your Marinara sauce on the bottom.  Sprinkle red pepper flakes, parsley, and pepper over the top.

With a spoon make a little trough in the center. Crack your eggs into a bowl one by one to make sure there are no shells. Then place each egg in the center of the baking dish, and make sure the yolks stay intact.

On top of the eggs drizzle cheese, cream, and olive oil, and then just a touch of salt.

Bake for 10-12 minutes just until the only thing that jiggles are the yolks.  You want them to just be firm.  Then mix the yolk into the white, and then spoon onto buttered (yes, real butter) toast, and you're going to die!  It's delectable.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do in our house!

Baby Blue Salad with Bartlett Pears

Happy Easter Nummy Readers!!  Since this is the first Spring Holiday I wanted to give you a nummy salad that you can make for this delicious day.  This Salad is quick and easy and sure to impress!

Ingredients
10oz or 2 pkgs. Dark Leafy Greens

 1 qt. Strawberries cut up
1/2 cup Candied or plain Pecans
3 Bartlett Pears thinly sliced
1 cup Cherry tomatoes sliced in 1/2
Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Crumbles of Feta cheese if desired

Directions
Mix all ingredients together except vinaigrette.  Toss and plate.  Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 c. Olive Oil
1/2 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Shallot, diced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. Salt
3 Tbs. Honey
3 Tbs. Dijon Mustard

Directions
Mix all ingredients together except Olive Oil and then slowly pour in olive oil while whisking continuously until everything is well combined.

Cranberry Glaze Turkey Meatballs

I tried these earlier this week and I loved them.  I took a recipe I found online somewhere and made it my own, and I was super excited on how it turned out.  This is another really good dish to take to your superbowl party coming up!

Ingredients for Glaze
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
12oz. Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. Orange zest
2 tsp. Cidar Vinegar

Directions for Glaze
Bring everything to a simmer in a pot.  Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.  Then take out of the pot and push through a strainer with a bowl on the opposite side to catch the glaze that's being pushed through the strainer.  Set aside.






Ingredients for Meatballs
2 large slices of bread
2 Tbs. Milk
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 lb. Ground Turkey
1/4 cup Cottage Cheese
1 egg
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried Fennel seeds
2 tsp. dried Parsley flakes
flour for dusting
Vegetable oil for cooking

Directions for Meatballs
Tear your bread into crumbs and then mix with milk.  Whisk an egg in a separate bowl.  Combine the egg and the crumbs to the rest of the ingredients in a big mixing bowl.  Mix everything together with your hands and then make into 2 inch round meatballs.

Heat 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to a rippling stage.  Sprinkle flour on meatballs and then slowly brown on each side.  Once every side is browned on each meatball, pour the glaze over the meatballs.  Put a lid on and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, just until the meatballs are completely cooked and the glaze has thickened.  Serve over some Jasmine rice!  Yummy!!

Frog Eye Salad

 This was a staple in my home growing up.  My mom made the best Frog Eye I have ever had, and since so many people love it I had to post it on my blog for you!  The only thing that I have changed about her original recipe is that I use strawberries instead of cherries, but you can do either.  I'm just not a huge cherry fan.  Anyway I promise you when you try this Frog Eye, it will be your new favorite salad of all time!

Ingredients

16oz. Acini de Pepe

1 3/4 cup Pineapple Juice

3 Tbs. Flour

3 Egg Yolks beaten

1 cup Sugar

1 20oz. can Crushed Pineapple

2 cups Mini Marshmallows

1 16oz. container of sour cream

3 cans Mandarin Oranges

2 cups sliced strawberries + more for the top

2 20oz. cans of Pineapple tidbits

1 8oz container Cool Whip

Directions

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Rinse in Cold water, set aside.

Mix Pineapple Juice, Flour, Egg Yolks, and Sugar in a sauce pot and cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.  

Combine the mixture with the pasta.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day add the can of crushed pineapple drained, the pineapple tidbits drained, your mini marshmallows, cool whip, and sour cream.  Mix well.  Fold in the mandarin oranges and your sliced strawberries.  Then place slices of strawberries in a circle on top for decoration.

Chicken Bacon Wraps

I haven't posted many little side dishes, so here is one for you.  This is perfect for those casual parties you throw for your friends.  It's delicious, and tasty, and will be gone within minutes of putting them out.

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 (1-pound) package sliced bacon
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden pick. Stir together brown sugar and chili powder. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken wrap on rack in broiler pan. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bacon is crisp.  Enjoy!

Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies Grilled

I have an entire meal for you that you can make on the Grill.  It turns out amazingly delicious, juicy, and smokey.  It's the easiest thing in the world to prep as well.  Plus you get to use the veggies straight from your garden and they taste amazing!  Enjoy!


Ingredients
2 fresh yellow squash cut length-wise about the 1 inch thick
2 fresh zucchini cut length-wise about 1 inch thick
2 Bell Peppers cut length-wise into 4 pieces
2 Anaheim peppers cut in 1/2 length-wise with seeds removed
1 bottle of your favorite teriyaki sauce
6 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbs. freshly chopped parsley

Directions
2 days before you are planning on cooking this dinner get your chicken and put it in either a ziploc container with a lid or a huge ziploc baggie.  Dump the chicken in and then pour about 3/4 the bottle of teryaki sauce over it.  Just make sure it is completely covering the chicken thighs.  Let sit in your refrigerator for 2 days.

Right before you get ready to cook your chicken heat up your grill to 375 degrees.  While your grill is heating cut up your vegetables.  Set aside.

In a bowl combine your salt, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and parsley.  Mix with a pastry brush.  This will be your sauce to brush over the veggies once they are on the grill.

Take your chicken and veggies out to the grill.  Place your veggies on the grill width wise and then brush the oil sauce over the side that is up.  You want to start cooking your veggies about 3 minutes before you place your meat.  Let cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes or until soft, making sure to baste multiple times throughout the process.  With your peppers just char and turn, you don't need to baste these.  The peppers are great just charred and soft.

Place chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until completely cooked through.

 Serve the vegetables with fresh sea salt and crushed black pepper.  Cut up fresh tomatoes into slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper for your side.  Enjoy

Zucchini Supper

For those of you who grow a garden, you know how much zucchini your plants yield every year.  I always am wondering what to make with it other then the usual desserts I do.  I went out to my garden last night and saw all of my fresh goodies, and put this recipe together.  We had it as our vegetable with some grilled chicken and fresh lemonade.  It was delicious!

Ingredients
5 medium zucchini
4 T.extra virgin olive oil
4 medium tomatoes
a handful of basil leaves, torn
1/2 a lemon squeezed
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Wash and cut the Zucchini into thick strips.  I normally cut mine about the thickness of a french fry.

Heat the zucchini and your oil in a saute pan for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini starts to soften a bit.  Wash and roughly cut your tomatoes. Dump your tomatoes into the zucchini and oil along with your torn basil leaves.  Squeeze your 1/2 of a lemon on top making sure to catch the seeds with your hands.
Cover the pan and let simmer for about 12 minutes until the zucchini are completely soft and the tomatoes have made a good sloshy sauce.
The colors should be bright.  You don't want your zucchini yielding a brown color to it at all.  You want this dish to look really vibrant.  :) 

I use this as a side dish and serve it with a meaty side.  It's a great way to use all of your fresh veggies out of your garden.  Enjoy!

Fiesta Lime Rice with Grilled Chicken

My sweet friend Kenna is an amazing cook.  She sends me her yummy recipes all the time.  She made this for dinner this week and sent it to me, and I must admit that it is awesome!  I wasn't feeling to creative this week, and kind of stuck to some of my same recipes for dinner, so I didn't have anything new to post.  I'm glad Kenna helped me out and sent me this delicious recipe!  I added a little pan grilled chicken breast dressed with sea salt and freshly squeezed lime, and it turned out amazing!  Kenna and I both have to thank Gina for her "Skinny" recipes.  To check out her website click here.  (Just so you know I adjusted the recipe quite a bit to fit my own liking, and I added what I did in parenthesis to the side of each ingredient.) 


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked long grain white rice (I used jasmine rice when I made this recipe.)
3/4 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (I used beans out of the can)
3/4 cup cooked corn (I just used corn out of the can)
1 large tomato diced (used 1 roma and 1 large yellow)
1 large scallion diced (I used an onion)
2-4 Tbs. chopped fresh Cilantro (I used 2 Tbs. because Dave doesn't like too much cilantro)
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime (I used 2 Tbs. just because I love really LIMEY rice)
salt to taste
(and then I added 2 chicken breasts and grilled them like I said, with lime juice and sea salt.  I just grilled them in my cast iron skillet.  I grilled one on 4 minutes each side.  Then I just placed them sliced on top of the finished rice.)

Directions
Heat up the corn and beans in a saucepan over medium heat until hot.  Make sure your rice is hot.  In a large bowl, combine hot rice, heated corn, heated beans, tomato, scallion, cilantro, lime juice and salt if needed. Toss and serve.

If you're using the chicken, just fan out your slices on top of the rice and serve as the main dish.

Savory Tomato and Bacon Cobbler

I know when people think of cobbler they normally think of dessert, and I guess I wanted to challenge that when I came up with this recipe.  I think you can take a dish that is for dessert and change a few things and make it into a main dish.  That is where this recipe came from.  I am really big into using the fresh vegetables out of my garden and that is where these ingredients come from.  So here is my delicious and savory Tomato Cobbler.

Ingredients
For the Filling
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 onions sliced
4 garlic cloves sliced
3 lbs. Cherry Tomatoes
3 Tbs. Flour
a handful of FRESH Oregano, Parsley, and Basil chopped
1 lb. Bacon, cooked and chopped (you want it crispy)
Pepper to taste

for the Biscuit Topping
2 cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 stick COLD Butter cut into little pieces
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

Directions

Make the filling.  Cook bacon in a skillet or oven (however you do it) until cripsy.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the onions until caramelized (about 25 minutes).  Add the garlic and cook until translucent (about 3 minutes).  Let cool.  Toss onion mixture, tomatoes, flour, cooked bacon, herbs, and a pinch of pepper.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Make the biscuit topping.  Whisk together all the dry ingredients plus 1 tsp. salt.  Mix in the butter with your hands until small clumps form.  Stir in the cheeses and cream stirring with a fork until the dough forms.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Put the tomato mixture into the dish and then spoon 7 clumps of the biscuit mixture on top.  Make the dough about 2 inches deep (make each clump about 1/2 cup).  Cover the tomato and bacon mixture.

Brush the top of the dough with a little cream and sprinkle with a little romano cheese.  Bake until the tomatoes are bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown.  About 1 hour and 10 minutes. 

When done, take out of oven and place on a wire cooling rack for about 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!!

Berry Brunch Scones

I love scones.  I think they are the perfect breakfast, brunch, or dessert.  They are moist, buttery, and delicious.  I love scones just plain, but I also love fruit filled scones.   This scone recipe is more along the lines of the scones that are served at Starbucks vs. the Fair.  They make the perfect weekend breakfast.  With summer here, you can use all those delicious fresh berries from you garden as well!

Berry Scone

Ingredients
2 C. Flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. Baking Powder
1/2 t. Salt
6 T. cold unsalted butter
3/4 C. raspberries
3/4 C. cranberries
1 t. lemon zest
1/3 C. Heavy Cream
2 eggs
Sugar for sprinkling on top when finished


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt
cut the butter into pieces and work through your fingers until mashed.  mix into the flour mixture and add the lemon zest.  (I just work the dough with my fingers until well mixed)
Whisk together cream and eggs.  Make a little hole in the flour mixture and pour the liquid into the middle.  Mix with fingers until the dough comes together. 
Knead on your counter in a little flour until the dough is a little sticky.
Pat the dough into about a 5 inch square.  Make it about 1 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  Cut dough into rectangles about 2x3 inches.  (if you want triangle squares cut the rectangles into triangles.)
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Brush the top of your scones with a little cream and sprinkle with sugar.
Cook for 20-22 minutes until golden brown on top.  Let cool or eat hot with butter or my honey butter recipe.

Brazilian Lemonade

This is a good twist on regular Lemonade.  I love limes, and this is such a yummy, creamy, limey drink.  :) 

Ingredients

1 C. Sugar

6 C. Cold Water

4 Juicy Limes (roll between your hands before using)

6 Tbs. Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions

Mix cold water and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.  

Wash limes througholy with hand washing soap and water.  Cut the ends off of each of the limes.  Place half of the limes in your blender and half of the sugar water.  Pulse for 5 times.

Place a fine mesh strainer over your pitcher that you are going to serve the lemonade in, and pour the blended mixture through the strainer into the pitcher.  Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid out of the contents that are caught by the mesh strainer.

Whisk in sweetened condensed milk.  Serve over lots of ice and a lime wedge in a fun beautiful glass!  You can also dip the top of your glass in water and then dip in sea salt.  It's a fun little extra.

July 4th Baked Beans

Every BBQ needs a good pan of Baked Beans.  They are delicious, cheap, easy, and filling.  So here's a little recipe for you to try for your 4th of July BBQ.


Ingredients
1 lb. Bacon diced (I just cut mine with my kitchen scissors)
1 large onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 cans (28 oz each) pork and beans
1 C. ketchup
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry mustard


Directions
In a skillet cook bacon for 5 minutes stirring often.  Add onion and green pepper and continue cooking until veggies are softened.  Place Pork and Beans in a bean pot or casserole dish.  Add bacon-onion-pepper mixture.  Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire, and dry mustard.  Blend well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours covered.

Layered Salad

Anytime you can add a little spice to a regular old salad I'm all for it.  I love casserole, so this is kind of my casserole salad recipe.  :)

Ingredients:
1 Head iceberg lettuce shredded
1 1/2 C. diced carrots
1 1/2 C. diced celery
1 C. diced red onion
1 pkg. frozen peas (Do not thaw)
2 1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 C. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C. diced Tomatoes
1 C. cooked bacon chopped
10 hard-boiled eggs chopped
2 Tbs. sugar

Directions:
Place shredded lettuce on bottom of bowl.  Layer with eggs, bacon, celery, tomatoes, onions, and frozen peas.  Cover peas completely with mayonnaise.  Sprinkle with sugar and cheese.  Repeat.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for 6 hours.  Do not mix.

I like to do mine in a clear glass container so you can see all the layers.  It turns out really yummy, cold, and crispy!  And it's a new little twist on the plain old salad.  :)

Twice BAKED Fries with Fry Sauce

I know the traditional "frite" or "fry" is fried.  I must admit that I have never been the biggest fan of french fries, and I really don't like fried food, but I love Hamburgers and you have to have a fry with hamburgers.  So, I came up with a french fry recipe that you bake.  Not only do you bake them once, but just like the true "frite" you bake them twice to get that extra crispiness to them.  I promise you, once you try these fries you will never want any other fries again!

Ingredients:

6 Idaho Potatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Drizzling

Sea Salt and Pepper for dressing

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

  

Peel the potatoes lengthwise, leaving a patch of the skin on each end of the potatoes. Cut each potato into very thin fries lengthwise, no more than a quarter-inch thick – the thinner they are, the crispier the end product will be.

In a bowl dress the fries with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss lightly.

On a baking sheet place your wire cooling rack so there is some vent below the fries.

Dump your fries on top of the cooling rack and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take your fries out and turn the oven to 425 degrees.  Make sure that the oven acknowledges that it has hit 425 degrees and then put the fries back in for 15-20min. until they are crispy and lightly browned.

I sometimes will take them out when they are done and put them back in the bowl and dress them with garlic and chives, but you don't have too.  I have also just eaten them with some good 'ol fry sauce. (For those of you out of Utah I will post my fry sauce recipe and you can start eating a "Utah Staple".  :)  Enjoy!

Utah's Fry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

1 part Ketchup

2 Parts Mayonaise

a Dash of Mustard

Directions:

Mix together and enjoy with your fries!

Tomatolicious Bruschetta

I love Tomatoes!  I eat them plain with salt and pepper all the time.  During the summer I use them in just about every meal I make.  They are versatile, delicious, and have so many different variaties and flavors that they make my mouth water!

A few weeks ago I told you about my Bruschetta recipes I have been working on, so here is #2....

Ingredients:

6 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 Baguette loaf

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper.

Let the mixture sit and marinate for about 15-20 minutes.


Turn the Broiler on the oven on low, and place tin foil on a cookie sheet.

Cut the Baguette into 3/4 inch slices, and place a couple inches a part on the cookie sheet.

Spoon the tomato mixture evenly onto each slice, and drizzle with just a little olive oil.

Sprinkle the cheese on top of each piece.

Broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  (Once the cheese is melted I normally turn the broiler up and "toast" the cheese so it's a little harder then regular, smooth, melted cheese, but it's totally up to you.)

#2 Bruschetta-Roasted Tomato Garlic

 Ingredients

2 pints grape tomatoes

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 loaf baguette bread

2 cloves garlic, halved

4 scallions, finely chopped

1/2 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat the tomatoes in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes to concentrate the flavor and burst the tomatoes.

Cut 2 large "planks" of bread each 1-inch thick by slicing the bread lengthwise horizontally. Reserve the rest of the loaf for another use.

When you remove the tomatoes from the oven, switch on broiler. Char bread on both sides then rub hot bread with cut garlic.

In a bowl, lightly mash the roasted tomatoes and combine with scallions and basil. Top the large planks with tomato mixture then cut each giant crostini into 4 pieces, 8 pieces total.