Tuna Salad

This is one of those breakthrough recipes for me. I will be honest, when I first read the list of ingredients I was skeptical on how it would all come together. Cottage cheese in tuna salad sounded a bit off to be, but honestly the addition of cottage cheese to act as a binder in place of mayonnaise is just brilliant. I am always looking for innovative ways to cut fat and calories while keeping the integrity of the dish intact, but I would have never though of this. To put this in perspective, 2/3 cup of mayo has over 500 calories and 52 grams of fat (we all know the low fat never tastes as good!). On the other hand, 4% milk fat cottage cheese has 220 calories and around 10 grams of fat in 2/3 cup.  Aside from being a healthier alternative, this recipe packs a well-rounded flavor that is absolutely delicious.  I know it sounds a little different, but I highly recommended giving it a try!

Tuna Salad
Serves 3-4
Adapted from Simply Recipes

1 (11 ounce) package of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it)
2/3 cup of cottage cheese
3 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
1/4 cup onion, chopped finely
2 celery stalk, chopped finely
2 Tablespoon of capers
Juice of half of a lemon
Pinch or two of dill
2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Corn Salad with Sweet Basil

Corn is popping up in all of our local markets and I could not be more thrilled! It is such a wonderful addition to any summer meal, and at less than $.50 an ear, it is great to feed a crowd. We had a cookout last weekend and I decided to serve a corn salad alongside my barbeque chicken. There are sometimes that I look at a recipe and think, “is this step really necessary?” like brining pork or parboiling potatoes. But, what I have found is that in MOST cases, these somewhat annoying extra steps are what create the perfect end result. For instance, in this recipe is it really that important to parboil the corn for a few minutes prior to cutting off the ear? In my opinion, yes it is. The corn releases a lot of its starch while cooking, so it gives a nice clean finish to the salad. When I tried to skip that step, the flavor was still good, but the texture and presentation were noticeably compromised. I will always try the shortcut but sometimes have to surrender to the extra step. This corn is light and flavorful and will be a welcomed addition to your summer spread (makes great leftovers too).

Corn Salad with Sweet Basil
Serves 4-5

4 ears of sweet corn, husked and silk removed
1/8 cup small-diced sweet onion
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

In a large pot, partially filled with water, bring water to a rolling boil. Add the corn to the boiling water. Bring water back up to a boil; immediately remove from heat and drain corn in a colander in your sink. Run cold water over the corn in the colander to stop the cooking process.

Scrape the corn kernels from the ears of corn by using a sharp kitchen knife and a large cutting board. Cut off the stem end to give a flat base. Hold the ear, tip end up, then cut downward, removing a few rows at a time. I usually hold the ear of corn in the bowl to catch all of the kernels.

In a large bowl, gently combine corn kernels, onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate the salad until approximately 1/2 hour before serving. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Roasted Salmon with a Lemon-Caper Sauce

If you want to add a new meal to your "dinner in under 20 minutes" category, check out my post today on Ask Miss A.  This was created around salmon, but any other mild fish or even chicken can be used.  Enjoy!

Lamb Kabobs

It seems as though spring is fighting off summer here in NC.  I am not complaining!  How could I with endless days of low humidity and warm temperatures?  I have been taking advantage of it all and testing lots of new and exciting things on the grill...lamb kabobs anyone?

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

We have a standing Sunday evening cocktail hour in our neighborhood that has become something that we all look forward to.   Whoever is around and wants to attend simply shows up with a snack and drink; it is our rebellion against the “Sunday blues”.   I went overboard in the produce section yesterday (shocker) and ended up with way more jalapeños than two adults can possibly consume, so I decided to share the abundance with our friends.  This was my first time making jalapeño poppers and I was really pleased with how they turned out.  The only caveat is that they really need to be served hot, so unless you are walking next door I would not consider them a traveling appetizer.  I did make Emeril’s seasoning, but you can surely use your favorite creole seasoning in place of that.  Do not shy from these if you do not like spicy foods, they are really quite mild!

Baked Jalapeño Poppers

adapted from Emeril Lagasse

serves 4-6

Ingredients
6 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Colby Jack
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or less, to taste
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
4 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1/2 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese, shredded cheese, cumin, and cayenne.
In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 1 teaspoon of the Essence. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 1 teaspoon of Essence. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

Roasted Salmon with a Lemon-Caper Sauce

For all of the salmon lovers out there, come check out my post on Ask Miss A.  It's a good one, that can be made in 20 minutes or less- enjoy!

Thai-Style Shrimp with Coconut-Curry Broth

With summer fast approaching, I am trying my best to cook our meals a little lighter for obvious reasons! Ellie Krieger is always my first resource when looking for healthy meal ideas because I have found that her food does not compromise in flavor like others sometimes do. In this recipe, I like how she cuts the richness (and calories/fat) of the coconut milk with chicken broth and enhances the curry with lime and cilantro to make it more of an everyday meal. This sauce is so delicious! I have a real fondness for curry and am always looking for new ways to incorporate it into my regular menu rotation so I always double the sauce when I make this so that I can freeze half. The next time I crave this for dinner I can have it on the table in 15 minutes!


Thai-Style Shrimp with Coconut-Curry Broth
Adapted from Ellie Krieger
4 servings

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion
3 teaspoons red curry paste
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon, plus more for seasoning
1lb peeled and deveined shrimp (21-30 count)- firm white fish or chicken are great substitutes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly cover asparagus spears with olive oil or cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Roast asparagus on a baking sheet lines with tin foil for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Set aside to cool and then cut into 1 inch pieces.

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes.

In a separate pan season the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté the shrimp in a little oil in a non-stick pan for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Arrange a pile of rice in the bottom of 4 plates. Top the rice with the shrimp and the asparagus. Stir the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice into the sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the shrimp, rice, and asparagus.

Fried Eggs over Roasted Asparagus

One holiday has passed and another approaches! For all of the mothers out there, may your weekend be full of hugs, kisses, rest, and celebration, because you all deserve it. I will be spending Saturday with my mom and sister before heading off to my in-laws, so my mom’s Mother’s Day breakfast will come a day early. Since it will be sandwiched between waking up and getting out the door to our early morning pedicure, it needs to be easily prepared and not too heavy. Eggs in any fashion remind me of my mom, so I think this simple combination of eggs and asparagus will be suitable for the occasion. If you are preparing this for a crowd, you can just as easily scramble or poach the eggs. Crumbled bacon or pancetta is also a nice addition to this dish. 

Fried Eggs over Roasted Asparagus
Serves 4

1lb asparagus, rinsed and trimmed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
8 large organic eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese


Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil (for easy clean up).

Toss the trimmed asparagus in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender, but still a little crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare eggs to your liking. I prefer a fried egg over-easy. To do this, preheat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the eggs (2-4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan) to the pan and cook until the whites have set, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and then flip the egg over and turn off the heat. Let it sit in the hot pan for 2 minutes.

To serve, remove the eggs from the pan and place them over several stalks of roasted asparagus. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  

The Perfect Margarita

Cinco de Mayo is today!  I don't want to twist your arm, but my suggestion is to clean off the porch furniture, invite some friends over, make these for a snack and mix this for your cocktail.   I think that will be my plan! Enjoy!

Guacamole and Shrimp Tortilla Bites

We attended the most wonderful wedding in the NC Mountains this weekend. We had amazing weather and a great time catching up with friends new and old, it was memorable for sure. As you all know I am always on the hunt for new easy recipe ideas, so when I saw a platter of these bites passed during cocktails I knew I had a new one! I love these because if you want to take every shortcut using prepared shrimp, guacamole and chips then these can be assembled in just a few minutes. However, if you want to put a little extra effort into them and marinate and grill the shrimp, make your own guacamole and homemade chips you can have something extraordinary. Either way, I recommend them! I think these are the perfect appetizer for the upcoming warm weather, not to mention alongside your margarita this Thursday. Here is my version, for now at least!

Guacamole and Shrimp Tortilla Bites
Serves 4-6

18 tortilla chips (use a sturdy chip)
1 ripe avocado
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ lb of shrimp (21-30 count) peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425.
Line a baking sheet with foil and toss the shrimp in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Roast the shrimp for 6-8 minutes or until the shrimp have turned pink. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mash the avocado, lime, salt and pepper together. Lay the chips out on the serving platter and top with guacamole. Add the shrimp on top and then serve.

News...

I wanted to take and minute and thank you all for all of your feedback and encouragement!  I am having so much fun doing this and truly appreciate all of the support that I have received from all of you.  I never imagined that when I started this blog in January that it would become such a source of inspiration and motivation for me.  I was recently invited to become a contributing columnist for the online women's magazine Ask Miss A.  I am really excited about the opportunity to reach a broader audience and evolve as a blogger.  My goal is to always keep you all engaged and interested in the things that I am writing about, so please know I am always interested in your feedback!   The really good thing about this new column is that I am going to need to start taking pictures, which I know you all have been missing...they are coming sooner than later!

Here is the link below to my column this week, check it out...bacon wrapped dates...you want these, I promise!

Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Bake with Eggs

We stuck close to home this Easter which made it a different kind of holiday for us. It was nice to take it easy and have a relaxing weekend without any commitments, but at the same time we missed the chaos and excitement of being with our families. My husband and I both are accustom to large holiday meals that are usually centered around a turkey or ham with at least six sides to choose from, so I knew I needed to create some sort of meal to mark the occasion. I had such an overwhelming positive response to the Overnight French Toast a few weeks back (I am so glad you all enjoyed it!) that I wanted to find another “company worthy” breakfast dish that can be made in advance. When I came across this recipe I ran straight to the kitchen. It took about 30 minutes to prepare the day before, but the next morning I cracked four eggs and it was done.  The presentation is rustic and has that overall "no fuss"  feel that I just love!

Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Breakfast Bake with Eggs
Adapted from Food and Wine
Serves 4

8oz. bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (drained)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar, shredded
2 tablespoons snipped chives
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
4 large eggs
Hot sauce, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.

3. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.

4. Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.

5. Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.

Egg Salad with Dill

I would imagine that a great number of you are opening your refrigerators this morning wondering how you will ever consume the bounty of hard boiled eggs left over from the holiday weekend. I propose an impromptu lunch of egg salad sandwiches, as that will be the solution in my house. I really like egg salad and enjoy it in a lot of variations, but my go-to classic version is from the The Silver Palate Cookbook (a staple in my kitchen). The most important part of making egg salad is ensuring  you have the eggs cooked properly. An over cooked hard-boiled egg will produce a rubbery white shell with a chalky, greenish toned yoke…not exactly appetizing. The process is simple:

1. Place eggs in a pan that is just large enough to hold all of the eggs and cover with cold water.

2. Add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Bring a pot of water to a rapid boil.

3. Once boiling, remove the pan from the heat (keep it covered) and let it sit for 15 minutes.

4. Remove eggs from the pan and let them cool either in the refrigerator or under cold water.



Egg Salad with Dill
Courtesy of The Silver Palate Cookbook
Serves 6-8

8 Hard-cooked eggs
½ cup finely chopped purple onion
⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup prepared Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

*I normally use low fat sour cream and low fat mayonnaise.

Peel the eggs and quarter them. Place in a mixing bowl with the onions and dill.
In another bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and pour over eggs, onion and dill.
Toss gently, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss again.
Cover and refrigerate if you must, but the salad is at its best eaten immediately.

Pecan Pie

We are holding a bake sale this week at work as a fundraiser for a local charity .  I am co-chair of this volunteer effort, so I am really excited to get people involved and raise some money.  When it was brought to my attention that our vice president was willing to pay top dollar for a homemade pecan pie I knew what I was making!  I do not consider myself a baker and certainly do not normally whip up pies on a Tuesday, but there is a first time for everything. Of course it helps that I used a store bought crust, homemade crust will be saved for another day.  This pie is incredibly easy and not too sweet, a winning combination in my book.  Turns out, making pies is not all bad!

Pecan Pie
courtesy of Simply Recipes
Serves 8

1 9-inch pie shell, frozen

1 1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp melted butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread pecans along the bottom of the pie shell. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over pecans. (No need for an electric mixer, you can mix by hand.) The pecans will rise to the surface of the pie.

Bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes until the filling has set. About 20 minutes into the cooking you may want to use a pie crust protector, or tent the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil to prevent the pie crust edges from burning.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Grilled Herb Shrimp

Our local grocery store ran a buy 1, get 2 free special last week on 21-30 count bags of frozen deveined shrimp. This is close to $60 in savings! Frozen shrimp is the easiest dinner staple that I have in my kitchen because it thaws quickly, needs little time to marinate and can be cooked in less than 5 minutes. I love to add it to pasta dishes, roast it, boil it and in this case, grill it! Turning to my always reliable Barefoot Contessa cookbook, I found this delicious marinade for grilled shrimp. The fresh herbs and lemon give this shrimp a wonderful brightness while the mustard and garlic provide a very mild heat. I like to serve this dish at dinner parties because I can marinate and skewer the shrimp in advance and then cook them at the last minute. It makes an easy summer meal with roasted tomatoes, grilled squash and couscous.

Grilled Herb Shrimp
Barefoot Contessa
Serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds large shrimp (21-30 per pound), peeled and deveined (see note)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Directions

Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Skewer the shrimp. I use 5-6 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill to med-high heat. Grill the shrimp for only 1 minute on each side.

Note: I leave the tails on when I'm peeling the shrimp.

Shelled Edamame and Feta Salad

Shelled edamame have become one of my favorite meal additions. They are low in calories and fat, high in protein and fiber and are packed with vitamins and minerals.  The coveted combination!  There are seemingly endless options of how you can incorporate them into your regular diet.  Most grocery stores now carry them in the frozen section either shelled or in pod.   I purée them into a dip, roast them, add them to stir-frys and salads, and even snack on them just straight out of the bag.  I have been wanting to try a salad with the shelled edamame as the base and though this is very similar to the Chickpea and Feta Salad that I posted a few months back, I do feel that it is worthy of its own post!  Make it a day in advance and it is even better!

Shelled Edamame and Feta Salad

Serves 4

2 cups shelled edamame

2 tablespoons minced shallot

¼ cup diced carrot

¼ cup diced celery

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl combine the edamame, onions, carrots and celery. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper and salt. Pour over chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Gently mix in feta cheese.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Black Beans with Spinach and Rice

To accompany the chimichurri steak that I made on Saturday, I decided to stick close to authentic Argentinean fare and serve black beans and rice as a side. I personally think that black beans and rice alone are delicious, but with a few extra ingredients, they can be truly outstanding. There is wonderful Argentinean/Cuban restaurant in Raleigh called Oakwood Café that serves sides of spinach and rice with their grilled meats. I honestly devour it every time we go! Inspired by a black beans and rice recipe and method from Cookthink.com (a wonderful cooking resource) and my favorite spinach and rice dish from Oakwood, I have come up with my personal favorite!

Black Beans with Spinach and Rice
Adapted from Cookthink.com
Serves 4

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
3/4 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups canned (or cooked) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium broth (vegetable or chicken) or 2 cups of the cooking liquid if you've cooked dried beans
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups fresh baby spinach

Prep the ingredients. For less chile heat, slice the serrano open, and remove and discard the chile’s white ribs and seeds.

Preheat the oven to 350F and put the rack in the middle position. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the onions, salt, pepper, garlic and serrano. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and soft, 6-8 minutes.

Add the rice and beans to the Dutch oven and stir. Cook, stirring often, until the rice toasts a little, 3-5 minutes. Pour in the broth. Add the marjoram and ground cumin and stir to combine. Cover and cook the dish in the oven until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, 20-30 minutes.

Immediately add the baby spinach to the rice and beans, stir and recover for 3-5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is oil and vinegar based marinade that is used in Argentine dishes to accompany grilled steaks and other meats. I find chimichurri to be interesting because there are hundreds of variations and interpretations of the sauce. Traditionally, it includes red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley and red pepper flakes. Aside from using different ingredients,  the real balance is developed in the ratio of vinegar to oil that is used. I prefer my sauce heavy on vinegar because I think it adds a great depth to the overall taste. I usually prepare it in advance so it allows time for the flavors to blend.  I also like to use my chimuchurri as a marinade and a dipping sauce, so I usually make extra!  It can be stored in the refrigerator up to a day in advance, but be sure to bring it to room temperature prior to using.

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Courtesy of Cookthink.com

Serves 4

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

1 2lb flank or skirt steak

Combine the first seven ingredients and whisk until the sauce has emulsified. Take half of the marinade and add it to a Ziploc bag with the steak and marinate for 4-6 hours. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.

When ready to grill, remove the steak and the sauce from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat the grill to med-high heat and grill the steaks (4-5 minutes per side if using flank steak or 2 minutes per side if using skirt steak). Once ready, remove the steaks and allow them to rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting. Cut them against the grain and drizzle remaining sauce over the top.

Italian Antipasto Squares

Anyone invited to a party this weekend? Take these and I promise you will be asked back! All kidding aside, these pizza squares (created by a contestant in the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest a few years back) are really great for a casual cocktail party, tailgate or potluck. There is good news and bad news about this dish. The bad news is the people in line at the deli counter will most likely roll their eyes when you place your order. The good news is once you have your ingredients you will be on your way to making a really easy, crowd pleasing appetizer.  You can certainly substitute different ingredients to match your tastes, but be sure to pat dry any wet ingredients so that you do not end up with soggy squares.


Italian Antipasto Squares
www.pillsbury.com
Serves 12-16 for appetizer portion

2 cans (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each)
4 oz thinly sliced salami
4 oz thinly sliced Swiss cheese
4 oz thinly sliced pepperoni
4 oz thinly sliced American cheese
4 oz thinly sliced capocollo (cured Italian ham) or cooked ham
4 oz thinly sliced provolone cheese
2 eggs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
1 jar (12 oz) sliced roasted red bell peppers, drained and patted dry
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained and patted dry
1 egg yolk, beaten

· Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 13x9-inch pan or spray with cooking spray.

· Unroll 1 can of dough into 1 large rectangle; place in pan. Press in bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of pan to form crust, firmly pressing perforations to seal.

· Layer all meats and cheeses in order listed over dough. In small bowl, beat 2 eggs, the garlic powder and   pepper with wire whisk until well blended. Pour over meat and cheese layers. Layer roasted peppers and olives over top.

· Unroll second can of dough into 1 large rectangle; press into 13x9-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.

· Place over top of layered ingredients. Pinch edges to seal. Brush beaten egg yolk over dough. Cover with foil.

· Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes before serving. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm.

*You can assemble these the night before and bake them off the next day. 

Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken

It is hard to believe that we did not own a grill until about a month ago. Needless to say, I have gotten really good at cooking meat indoors! My parents surprised us recently with a new grill which has instigated a thorough dig for some old favorite grilling recipes that I have made over the years. The one I am sharing with you today is what I consider to be a summer staple; made easily from things I always have on hand. Aside from chopping some garlic, there are 2 minutes of prep time and dinner is essentially ready. This is also delicious with bone-in, skin on chicken breast; you would just need to grill them 8-10 minutes on each side.


Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken
Food and Wine Magazine
Serves 3-4

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
6 chicken cutlets (about 1 ½ pounds)

In a shallow dish, combine the lemon juice with the thyme, red-pepper flakes, garlic, oil, salt, and black pepper. Coat the chicken with the mixture. Marinate for 2-4 hours. Light the grill or heat the broiler. Grill over moderately high heat for about 2-3 minutes per side.