Tomato Watermelon Skewers

These are one of my favorite summertime apps.  They are cool, refreshing, and super tasty.  You've probably have never thought to combine these ingredients, but the flavors explode in your mouth.

Cheddar Apple Sandwiches

Cheddar Apple Sandwiches

Prep Time:

--

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

--

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 english muffins, split in half
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 green apple, thinly sliced
• 1 can of beets

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Place english muffins on cookie sheet.  Place in oven and toast for 15  minutes.

Sprinkle cheese on each muffin.  Place two slices of apple on top of cheese.  On half of muffins place beets.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of apples and beets.  

Place back in the oven for 15 minutes.  Serve hot!

Tomato Basil Tortellini

Tomato Basil Tortellini

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

10 hr 

Level:

Intermediate

Serves:

3 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Tortellini:

• 1 bag of frozen cheese tortellini

For the Salad:

• 1/4 cup FRESH basil
• 2 large plum tomatoes
• 12 mozzarella balls, halved
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Prepare tortellini per package directions.  Rinse with cold water once cooked.

2.  While tortellini is cooking, cut basil using kitchen shears into ribbons.  Cut plum tomatoes in half length-wise, then each half in to quarters, and then into bite size pieces.  Place basil, tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper into large serving bowl.  Once tortellini is cooled add to salad and combine.  Serve cold.

Mediterranean Meatballs

Serves 6 (2 meatballs each)

12 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped finely
1 1/2 cups soft whole wheat bread crumbs (about 3 slices)
1/2 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, or 2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup snipped fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried basil, crushed
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

Katie's Note: add 1 tbsp minced garlic
2 lbs 95% lean ground beef

1.  Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Line a 12x8x1 pan with aluminum foil.
2.  Reserve 1/4 cup red peppers for another purpose.
3.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.  Form 24 meatballs.
4.  Place meatballs in lined pan.  Bake for 30 minutes or until done (160 degrees).

126 Calories

From Better Holmes and Gardens Low Calorie Magazine 2012

Beef & Avocado Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Serves 4

12 oz beef flank steak or london broil

1/2 cup light Italian salad dressing

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup lime juice

4 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced

1 small red onion, sliced

6 cups salad greens

2 small plum tomatoes, cut into wedges

1 small avocado, halves, seeded, peeled, & sliced

1. Score both side of steak in a diamond pattern.

2.  In a small mason jar, combine dressing, zest, juice, and cilantro. stir to combine.

3.  Using half of the dressing mixture, marinate the steak for 24 hours in your refrigerator.

4.  Drain beef, discarding marinade.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.

5.  Cook steak on grill over medium heat for 20 minutes OR broil 3 inches from heat for 18 minutes OR fry in frying pan for 5 minutes on each side.

6.  Grill, broil, or sauté onions.

7.  To serve, thinly slice steak across grain.  On four plates, arrange greens, tomatoes, steak, onions, and avocado. Add reserve dressing.

199 Calories

From Better Holmes and Gardens Low Calorie Magazine 2012

Honey Orange Chicken Salad

Salad

1 large handful of arugula

1 large handful of spinach, torn

2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced thinly

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

1 rotisserie chicken, breast meat only cut up

1/8 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup toasted almond slices, optional

Dressing

2 tbsp orange juice, fresh squeezed

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cloves of garlic

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp red onion or shallots, diced 

salt and pepper to taste

320 calories per serving

From Better Holmes and Gardens Low Calorie Magazine 2012

Hot Spinach Dip

From Martha Stewart

Fried Ravioli with Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce

From Rachael Rae

Brie with Candied Pecans

From JustAPinch.com

Gluten Free Cream Cheese Penguins

I made these for a baby shower and they were a hit.

From AllRecipes.com

Gluten Free Ham Roll Ups

From AllRecipies.com

West Coast Vegetable Pizza

3 tablespoons olive oil
All-purpose flour, for shaping dough
1 pound store-bought pizza dough, fresh, or thawed if frozen
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise
2 scallions, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
1 log (5 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 bag baby spinach and arugula mix
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a large rimless baking sheet (or an inverted rimmed sheet) with 1 tablespoon oil. On a lightly floured work surface, roll and stretch dough to two 8-inch ovals or rounds. Transfer to prepared sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook in oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn oven off. Scatter crusts with tomatoes, scallion whites, and cheese; season with salt and pepper, and place back into oven. Cook until cheese begins to melt, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.

In a medium bowl, combine spinach, avocado, scallion greens, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Pile mixture onto pizzas; slice into bite size or finger sized pieces, and serve.

Chorizo & Cheddar Quesadilla

8 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 chorizo sausage (about 2 1/2 ounces), coarsely chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups shredded (8 ounces) Cheddar cheese
Prepared green or red salsa, for serving (optional)

Place 4 tortillas on a work surface. Dividing evenly, scatter chorizo and scallions over each, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over each, and top with remaining tortillas. Press lightly to seal.

Heat Skillet over medium heat. Spray pan with Pam. Place 1 quesadilla on skillet. Cook till golden brown. Flip quesadilla. Cook till this side is also golden brown. Repeat with remaining quesadillas spraying the pan with each new quesadilla.

Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve with salsa, if desired.

Risotto Cakes with Roasted Tomatoes, Arugula & Baby Spinach

4 cups leftover Leek, Bacon, and Pea Risotto, cold
2 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 cubes
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 bunches arugula, thick stems trimmed

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Form risotto into 8 balls. Press a cube of cheese into center of each ball and flatten risotto into 1/2-inch-thick patties (make sure cheese is covered). Dredge patties in flour and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes with thyme and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes begin to collapse, about 20 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium until it sizzles when pinch of flour is added. Dredge patties in flour again (shaking off excess). In two batches, fry patties until golden and warmed through, about 10 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. Serve risotto cakes with arugula and tomatoes.

BLT Deviled Eggs

From Paula Dean

Steamed Artichokes with Safron Almond Dip

From Food Network

Holiday Goat Cheese Log with Rosemary Crackers

From Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Magazine, December 2010, pg 96

Serves 10

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Flat-Leaf Parsley, fresh chopped

1/3 cup Cranberries, dried chopped

1 tsp Black Pepper, ground

10 oz Goat Cheese Log

French Baguette, toasted & sliced

Garnish:

Cranberries, fresh

Rosemary Sprigs, fresh

Method:

1) In a shallow bowl, combine parsley, cranberries, and pepper. Using hands, roll cheese log in parsley mixture, gently pressing to adhere. Cover, and chill for one hour.

2) Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Home-made Pico de Gallo

From Food Network

Chips with Chili Con Queso

Chips from Local Grocery Store

Chili Con Queso From Cooks.com

Hummus with Whole Wheat Cracker and Apple Slices

White Bean and Roasted Eggplant Hummus

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008

Prep Time:

8 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

25 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
• Kosher salt, for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.

Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.

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