Open-faced Pimento Cheese BLT's

These sandwiches were a great summertime meal.  The spend hardly any time in the oven, and highlight many of the great things about summer.  We paired ours with some sweet potato fries and fresh summer fruit.

Open-faced Pimento Cheese BLT's

adapted from Cooking Light, June 2012

2 tablespoons bottled diced pimientos, drained

1 tablespoon grated peeled shallots

4 tablespoons canola mayonnaise

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/3 cup)

4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted

12 tomato slices

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and halved

1 cup baby arugula leaves

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese mixture on each bread slice.  Place under the broil, just until the cheese starts to melt.  Top each with 3 tomato slices. Sprinkle tomato slices evenly with salt. Top each sandwich with 2 bacon halves and 1/4 cup arugula.

The pimento cheese on it's own is a great dip or accompaniment to crackers.

5 Fruit Juice

We love our Green Smoothies, but every once in a while, you want something else.  This was a demo jusice at Costco for the Vitamix blender, but I made it just fine in my Blendtec.  I love my Blendtec!

 5 Fruits: 1 apple, 1 orange, 1 banana, 2 pineapple spears, and strawberries.

 Roughly chop fruits and place in blender.  Blend and serve.

Crispy Gnocchi with Basil Oil and Sauteed Corn

I saw this on Pinterest, only not on Pinterest at all.  The Pinterest link describes making your own gnocchi to be topped with Coq Au Vin, so not what we are doing here.  My sister in law had a note about mixing it with sauteed corn, etc.  So, I just went for it.

Crispy Gnocchi with Basil Oil and Sauteed Corn

1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for sauteeing

1 pkg premade gnocchi, or make your own just depends on how much time you have

1 C corn kernels

 

Mix together chopped basil, garlic and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Let marinate while you prepare the rest.  Boil gnocchi according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Drizzle extra olive oil in a large sautee pan.  Add corn and stir to spread out.  Now, let it sit without stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Stir and let it sit again.  Once finished cooking, remove corn from pan and keep warm.  Add 1 Tbsp extra olive oil to the pan and pour in drained gnocchi.  Repeat the steps from sauteeing the corn, and do not stir.  Return the corn to the pan, drizzle with basil-olive oil mixture.  Toss to combine and serve.

Spinach Orzo Pasta Salad

Spinach and Orzo Pasta Salad
adapted from Simply Recipes

4 ounces orzo pasta

Salt

2 Tbsp pine nuts

3 ounces feta cheese, roughly crumbled

1 ounce Kalamata Greek olives pitted, roughly chopped, about 1/4 cup (about 10 olives)

2 ounces baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped red onion (about half a red onion)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar (can substitute white vinegar or lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch dried basil

Pinch dried tarragon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the orzo pasta in salted water acording to package directions.  Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly.  Toast the pine nuts.  Take half of the spinach and purée it in a food processor or blender, adding one tablespoon of the olive oil. Roughly chop the other half of the spinach. In a large serving bowl mix the spinach purée olive oil mixture in with cooked orzo until the pasta is well coated with the purée. Then gently mix in the remaining spinach, the red onion, feta cheese, pine nuts, and the Kalamata olives.

In a small jar, combine the remaining olive oil (1 Tbsp), balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, mustard, dried basil, and dried tarragon. Put a lid on the jar and shake to combine.  Pour over orzo spinach mixture and gently mix in until well incorporated.

Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Our New Go-To Dessert

My husband started the year back on the "South Beach Wagon."  We had invited some friends for dinner to enjoy a new favorite of his, Blackened Chicken, and games.  Our friend offered to bring a salad and something for dessert.  I mentioned our current no-carb situation, and she said that she would look through her books and see what she could find.  She showed up with Chocolate Mousse.  Everyone in our family loved it.  And, we have made it several times since.  The boys every made it for Grandma & Papa's Sunday dinner.

{Chocolate Mousse}
South Beath diet-friendly
1 4-serving box of Suger-free Jell-O Instant Pudding, chocolate flavor
1 tub of Cool-Whip Free, defrosted
2 C cold milk

Mix  pudding and milk according to package directions.  Let set up in fridge until just before serving.  Then, gently fold in Cool Whip.  The end result is an almost guilt-free, fuluffy, creamy chocolate treat!

Green Smoothies

Our family is really enjoying "green smoothies."  I have been drinking them for about a year and a half.  I even went to see the Green Smoothie Girl speak at a health food store here in Seattle last spring!  I will say that purchasing a Blendtec blender made all the difference for the rest of the family.  Nothing blends like a Blendtec.

So, here is our everyday smoothie recipe:
{Everyday Green Smoothie} (about 24 oz.)
8 oz. water
1/2 tsp Truvia
4-5 C spinach, not packed
1/2 of a ripe banana, 1 1/2" slices
1 good sized navel orange, peel cut but some of the pith still there
1/2 -1 C frozen Trader Farm's Triple Berry, frozen berries from Costco
Put it into the blender in that order.

Blend it up.

The berries in it will make it turn a lovely shade of "bleh."  But, if you are lucky, it kind of looks a little purple.

Here is another delicious option.  The one seen on my son's face in the first picture.
{Really Green Smoothie} about 20 oz.
8 oz. water
1/2 tsp Truvia
4-5 C spinach, not packed
1 whole banana, cut into chunks
2-3 pineapple spears, cut into chunks
Blend it up.

The pineapple does cause this particular smothie to seperate a little faster.  So, we like to drink our in a Blender Bottle.  That way we can snap it closed and remix!

Cranberry Chicken

I know, it has been a long break.  A much needed break.  But, I am popping in to share a quick recipe.  My older son has swimming lessons twice a week at 5pm.  Hello, dinnertime.  And, we now have Church from 1-4pm.  So, I have been searching for recipes that can go into the oven or crockpot and be ready when we come home. 

Enter Cranberry Chicken.  The ingredients might seem a little od, but let me tell you - It is delicious!  The older son asking for seconds on meat, and the younger son saying, "This is SOO TASTY," gives this recipe 4 stars.

{Cranberry Chicken}
12-14 Chicken Tenders, frozen
8 oz. French Salad Dressing
1 (16 oz) can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix

Mix dressing, cranberry sauce and onion soup mix together.  Whisk until smooth.  Place chicken tenders in a 9x13 pan.  Pour sauce over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes.

Serve over rice.  (I served it over a Quinoa & Whole Grain Brown Rice pilaf.)