Farmer’s Market Potato Salad

• 3 lbs. red skin potatoes, washed, and diced to the size you want to eat
• 2 huge farmer’s market tomatoes, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 c. WishBone or Good Seasons Italian dressing
• 1 can chickpeas, drained

1. After cutting all of the veggies (so they are ready to throw together) boil the potatoes until they are soft but not falling apart.
2. Drain the potato water.
3. Add the onions, tomato, chickpeas and dressing to the warm potatoes.
4. Serve warm or room temperature like I did.

*This is so good because you add everything warm and it all creams together from the soft potatoes.

Allison let me know there is a similar recipe in Cooking Light!

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Later in the afternoon we went for a walk with Tracie and Jasper (1 year old), our neighbors. It was such a nice day we just couldn’t stay inside!

For dinner, I made a new recipe that I found in Eating Well. I changed the recipe a little bit.

Panzanella with Salmon

• • 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons capers and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 thick slices day-old whole-grain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 big tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 3/4 cup of cubed fresh mozzarella

Salmon

• 6 pieces fresh salmon
• 3 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. EVOO
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Coat (or marinate ahead of time) salmon with mixture of mustard, EVOO, lemon juice and agave.
3. Whisk vinegar, capers, EVOO and mustard and salt and pepper.
4. Bake salmon for 20-25 minutes until fully cooked.
5. Add bread, mozzarella, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and basil to the dressing.
6. When salmon is done – let it cool, place on top of salad.

*Note: This salmon is super ugly looking because the mustard makes a yucky color. I turned this salmon over when I topped the salad.

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Yesterday I made a lentil salad that was fresh and summery. I made up the recipe but got ideas from one I had seen in Eating Well. and from RhodeyGirl’s website.

Here is what I did:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup dry bulgur wheat, rinsed
• 5 cups water
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 jar roasted red peppers, diced
• fresh parm. grated

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a big pot over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion and zucchini and cook for 15 minutes until the veggies are soft.
3. Add the rinsed lentils and bulgur wheat and water and bring to a boil.
4. When it comes to a boil bring the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils and bulgur wheat are chewy yet slightly soft.
5. Add the tomatoes and red pepper and mix until combined.
6. Top with parm.
7. Serve warm or cold
8. Enjoy!

I served it with marinated flank steak. Marinade recipe to come.

Make Ahead Meal:

Make everything ahead and eat it at room temp. when you get home. Or reheat it in the oven to warm.

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Then I came home and showered and got ready for our company – my girlfriends from college and their men.

Hallie and John

Emily and Pete

We ate outside and enjoyed the deck for the first time this year! I think know we will be having lots more cookouts this year, especially with Baby H, and this was the perfect one to start the season!

Our dinner was super simple thanks to….FOIL!  I love wrapping veggies in foil and cooking them on the grill.  It’s easy and you can do it ahead of time, plus it’s healthy and super flavorful!

Appetizers were chips and salsa, carrots and buffalo pretzel chips.

Dinner was grilled chicken:

Grilled squash and zucchini and onions

Grilled potatoes with cajun seasoning (Thanks Kevin and Linds!)

Shower Salad – I am obsessed with this!

Hallie’s Homemade Carrot Cake

It was a delicious dinner followed by fun.  We chatted for a few hours about Emily’s upcoming reception (her and Pete got married two years ago before he left for deployment and they are having a big wedding celebration this May!!), Baby H, upcoming plans and looked through old college pictures of how ridiculous we were.  The boys were perfectly content watching and talking b-ball.  I wish we could make this our Sunday night ritual!!

5 days until Spring Break!

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It is our tradition (4 years?!) that we have St. Patrick’s day dinner together and I bring corned beef while Jen makes a ridiculous amount of Irish food.  Last night did not disappoint and I was stuffed when I left!

Here are some of the treats:

Nancy’s Summer Salad:

• 1 bag of organic spring mix greens
• 3-4 apples cut into thin slices
• big handful of candied walnuts
• chedder cheese – diced into small cubes (as much as you’d like)
• Brianna’s Blush Wine Viniagrette

1. Layer greens with nuts, cheese and apples.
2. Continue layering until the ingredients are gone.
3. Dress with the viniagrette right before serving!

Rollups

Corned Beef

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Kate’s Coleslaw

Jen’s Meatloaf

Hoggy’s Mac and Cheese Recipe – Jen makes with all reduced fat ingredients – I need the recipe!

Jen’s mom salmon recipe – This is amazing! I can’t wait to make it again.  I am in need of a new salmon recipe.

Debbie’s Salmon Recipe

• 4 tbsp. EVOO
• 4 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. horseradish
• 4 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and marinate salmon in it for at least an hour before cooking.  Grill for 20-25 minutes or bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

A real clover!

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Back to the salad:

Shower Salad (anyone have a better name than this?)

• soft lettuce (bibb) and romaine
• red onions, shaved into thin pieces
• candied walnuts (you could use almonds for this, or any other nut)
• blue cheese or feta (I had mine without cheese and it was AMAZING!)  but the cheese does add another dimension

Dressing:

• 1/2 c. extra light olive oil (I think the original called for 1c. oil so feel free to add more)
• 1/4. c. seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
• 3 cloves of garlic – crushed
• salt and pepper

Mix dressing together and let sit so flavors can mix.  Add to salad and serve!

Kroger gift card Winner: Ashley!!  Email me your address please

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Levi’s Spinach Salad

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup sugar or sugar sub.
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 bag of fresh spinach
• 1 quart strawberries – cleaned, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup almonds – could be candied

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!  This is such a perfect summer salad!

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When Levi asked what they could bring for dinner, I went out on a limb and said salad.  Levi is the most meat and potatoes guy I know, so I wasn’t sure how it was going to be.  He is a good cook though, so I had confidence he would bring something that tasted good – and if nothing else – he would bring a bowl of lettuce and I would still be happy.

When they arrived, Alexis said that he was freaking out that I asked him to bring the salad because it’s not really his thing.  He didn’t know what to make and was nervous because I always put “fruit and shit” (his words, not mine) in the salad.  She told him to get on his iPhone and find a recipe.

I am now obsessed with Levi’s salad!  I will post he recipe, but let me tell you – it was AMAZING! I tend to stick to the same things, so I am not sure I would have made this but it is going to be my new summer go-to salad!

Wait until you see the recipe – it is not just an ordinary spinach salad!

I made a burger accessory platter.

I carmelized some onions on the grill ( for a little too long apparently) by chopping them up and coating with olive oil cooking spray and a Cajun seasoning my brother gave us for Christmas.

We also had grill potatoes with Cajun seasoning.

And I invented a lentil veggie burger – this tasted good but the presentation was not good.  I was the only one who ate it so it didn’t matter.  I think I need more liquidy things or flour or something.

The regular burgers.

Since Wednesday when they came over things have been super busy!  We had a baby class last night from 6-9 and had to pack because we are headed to Cleveland and Chautauqua tonight after work!  I should have some fun pictures from my shower and other fun weekend festivities!  What are you doing this weekend?

Kroger $25 giftcard giveaway! Don’t forget to enter here!

The winner will be announced this weekend!  Good luck!  This is a great giveaway because who can’t use some extra money for snacks and treats!

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