Just when I think things are settling down for my husband and I, something pops up that throws it all out of whack! Thankfully it is nothing major. We had our bathtub refinished yesterday (actually, repaired the refinishing we had done months ago) and we can't use the shower for 2 days. Since it is the only bathroom in our house, we are staying at a nearby hotel. I like to travel and to stay at hotels, but it loses its luster when it is a necessity and I have to get up and commute to work! Needless to say, I'm sleepy and in needs of lots of coffee this morning.
Once we're settled back into our house, we'll get back into our routine. Well, as much of a routine that we have. It's summer and it seems like we always have something going on. But, since the humidity has finally dried out, I'll feel like cooking again!
Here's a recipe that I think I'll make this weekend while we're visiting my parents in Maine. My husband and I have made it several times and it is always SO delicious!
Grilled Bruschetta
Ingredients:
1 ciabatta loaf
15-20 cherry tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, minced (fresh is best)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
extra olive oil for brushing
Heat outdoor grill to medium heat.
Place garlic in medium sized bowl.
Place cherry tomatoes on grill and cook until they are at the just-bursting stage. Remove from grill and place in bowl with garlic. Mash with fork (or masher, or whisk) until tomatoes are broken up. Add in salt and pepper. Mix. Drizzle in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Mix well. Let mixture rest while bread toasts.
Slice ciabatta loaf length-wise, to create 2 long open-face pieces. Brush each open face with olive oil.
Place on grill, open face side down. Grill until toasted. Remove from grill, and place on tray open-face up.
Spoon tomato mixture over the top of the grilled bread. (Be cautious to not add too much of the tomato liquid, or bread will be soggy) Slice into individual serving-sized pieces.
Variation - add thin sliced Parmesan or fresh mozzarella to bread after it is toasted, so it melts before topping with tomato.
Enjoy!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Cranberry and Goat Cheese Chicken Salad
Since it's summer, we've been spending our free time outside enjoying the wonderful New England weather. We've been doing a lot of grilling since we love the taste of food from the grill, and it helps in keeping the house cool. We love to do boneless chicken on the grill in a variety of marinades. We typically grill a bunch of chicken for dinner at the beginning of the week, and we save the leftovers to have in salads later during the week. It is a big time saver!
In honor of summer and the hot, hot weather we've been having in New England, the first recipe I want to share is for a salad and dressing. We have this salad a lot when we're looking for a quick dinner or lunch. Enjoy!
Cranberry and Goat Cheese Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 bag of Baby Salad Greens - I like to use a mix of Romaine, spinach and Arugula.
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1/4 cup of goat cheese crumbles
3 boneless chicken breasts, marinated and grilled
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of fresh black pepper
Directions for salad:
Place greens in a bowl. Sprinkle on cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. Slice boneless chicken breast and place on top.
Directions for dressing:
In a separate, small bowl add vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. combine with whisk. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil. Whisk until well emulsified.
Dress salad just before serving.
Dressing can be stored in a covered container for 7 days.
In honor of summer and the hot, hot weather we've been having in New England, the first recipe I want to share is for a salad and dressing. We have this salad a lot when we're looking for a quick dinner or lunch. Enjoy!
Cranberry and Goat Cheese Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 bag of Baby Salad Greens - I like to use a mix of Romaine, spinach and Arugula.
1/4 cup of dried cranberries
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1/4 cup of goat cheese crumbles
3 boneless chicken breasts, marinated and grilled
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of fresh black pepper
Directions for salad:
Place greens in a bowl. Sprinkle on cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. Slice boneless chicken breast and place on top.
Directions for dressing:
In a separate, small bowl add vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and garlic. combine with whisk. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil. Whisk until well emulsified.
Dress salad just before serving.
Dressing can be stored in a covered container for 7 days.
Welcome! A little about the blog and me.
Welcome to my blog and my crazy chaotic life! I'm new to this blogging thing, but I thought there may be a few other folks out there interested in some of the recipes I've collected over the years. I also hope there are people interested in sharing tips and recipes, too.
Food has always been focal point in my life. Growing up in an Italian family, it is impossible to not be tuned into food. I have been in love with cooking and baking my entire life; even before I was old enough to have an Easy Bake Oven. Instead of tea parties, I used to force my dad to sit down to fake meals on my miniature Tupperware set. When I was older, I played restaurant, and if the participants were willing, I would serve them actual food. It was mostly leftovers from the fridge, but my brothers' friends were big fans of leftover pizza.
I spent many days with my grandmother in her kitchen watching her cook and learning my way around the kitchen. She is really the reason I became interested in food. From her I learned that a few simple ingredients can yield outstanding results. We made numerous batches of homemade macaroni, meatballs, sauce, cookies, and... I could go on for a lifetime.
From my Dad I learned how important it is that if a person loves food, they need to love the right foods, indulge in moderation and pair the passion for food with exercise. When I was very young, he suffered a heart attack at 37 years old. I learned more about cholesterol than any 5-year-old should. I also learned that how what you eat affects your health at a young age; much younger than most people. I grew up my entire life concerned about arterial plaque, exercise and heart health.
As an adult, making choices about food is difficult (as you all know) especially when you have a love affair with food like I do! Finding time to cook healthy meals is next to impossible. And finding something both my husband and I like is also very challenging.
I've found there are a few meals that I have created over the years that we continually come back to - I'll be sure to post the recipes as they occur to me.
I also like to experiment with new recipes and ingredients as time allows - sometimes life is just too crazy and we go for the basics (or take out!). I'll be sure to share the results of my experiments with you, too.
Food has always been focal point in my life. Growing up in an Italian family, it is impossible to not be tuned into food. I have been in love with cooking and baking my entire life; even before I was old enough to have an Easy Bake Oven. Instead of tea parties, I used to force my dad to sit down to fake meals on my miniature Tupperware set. When I was older, I played restaurant, and if the participants were willing, I would serve them actual food. It was mostly leftovers from the fridge, but my brothers' friends were big fans of leftover pizza.
I spent many days with my grandmother in her kitchen watching her cook and learning my way around the kitchen. She is really the reason I became interested in food. From her I learned that a few simple ingredients can yield outstanding results. We made numerous batches of homemade macaroni, meatballs, sauce, cookies, and... I could go on for a lifetime.
From my Dad I learned how important it is that if a person loves food, they need to love the right foods, indulge in moderation and pair the passion for food with exercise. When I was very young, he suffered a heart attack at 37 years old. I learned more about cholesterol than any 5-year-old should. I also learned that how what you eat affects your health at a young age; much younger than most people. I grew up my entire life concerned about arterial plaque, exercise and heart health.
As an adult, making choices about food is difficult (as you all know) especially when you have a love affair with food like I do! Finding time to cook healthy meals is next to impossible. And finding something both my husband and I like is also very challenging.
I've found there are a few meals that I have created over the years that we continually come back to - I'll be sure to post the recipes as they occur to me.
I also like to experiment with new recipes and ingredients as time allows - sometimes life is just too crazy and we go for the basics (or take out!). I'll be sure to share the results of my experiments with you, too.
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