The Hungry Apple

While I am a fan of traditional Caesar dressing, it is bogged down with egg yolks. Store bought dressing tends to be full of ingredients you can’t pronounce.

This recipe just replaces the egg yolks with yogurt and I swear I can’t even tell the difference.

To make it extra special, I toast 2 cups of day old bread, like ciabatta, that has been drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, for homemade croutons.

Croutons for the toasting

The show stoppers

Whisk them all together

Crisp romaine lettuce

Grated Parmesan

Top with croutons

bon appetit

CAESAR DRESSING WITH YOGURT

ingredients: 

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (don’t be scared…it’s good)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

instructions and directions: 

Whisk together all ingredients. Toss with romaine, Parmesan and croutons.

Hope your weekend was yummy! Mine was.

Salad and Burger here.

Breakfast

Tired puppies

Happy hour and fish tacos here.

Summer scarf

Egg salad while watching the Masters.

A kid again

Growler fill up here.

Mussels

I mean it! 10 minutes. This simple recipe is really pretty to look at and tastes great! The bread is crunchy, the cheese is creamy, the salami-salty and the pesto adds a bright burst of flavor!

Did I mention it takes 10 minutes?

Toast the bread

Spread with ricotta

Top with salami and drizzle with pesto.

CROSTINI WITH RICOTTA, SALAMI and PESTO

ingredients: 

1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices

olive oil

20 thin slices salami

ricotta cheese (store bought or homemade)

pesto (store bought or homemade)

freshly ground pepper

sea salt

instructions and directions: 

heat oven to 400 degrees.

lay baguette slices on a parchment lined cookie sheet. drizzle each side with olive oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake for 5 minutes or until bread is crisp. remove from oven and cool 1 minute.

spread desired amount (i used about 2 tablespoons) of ricotta cheese on each slice of bread. fold one piece of salami on each and drizzle with salami.

boom.

Table for two, please! At the hizz-ouse.

Don’t be discouraged because it uses three pans. Great meals sometimes require a mess.

After boiling this in chicken broth and water, I drained it and blended it with salt and cracked red pepper. Add a dash of chicken broth and use a spoon to stir around if needed.

The trick to getting your scallops to caramelize is washing the scallops and patting them dry really well.

The other trick is hot butter. For me 1.5 minutes on each side is the perfect time and doesn’t over cook.

Sauteed spinach adds a burst of color and the shallots deepen the flavor.

Fancy date night meal, ready in under 30 minutes so you have lots of time for other important date night activities.

Like movies. 😉

DATE NIGHT SCALLOPS

ingredients: 

3 heaping cups cauliflower florets

1 cup raw potato, cubed

3 cups chicken broth, plus a splash

salt

pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

sea scallops (4-5 per person) that have been washed and completely dried

1 (9 ounce) bag fresh spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, finely sliced

3 tablespoons butter

instructions and directions: 

In a small pot, bring 3 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water, to a boil. Add cauliflower and potato and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a non stick skillet, over medium low heat. Saute shallot, until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add spinach and saute slowly so that it wilts.

When the cauliflower and potatoes are done, drain and pour veggies in a blender. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 15 twists of black pepper and the 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Blend on high and add a splash of chicken broth if needed. You may have to stir them a little but they should blend and be velvety. Set aside in blender.

Now, heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large non stick skillet over high heat unitl the butter is hot and melted, but not brown. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to hot butter in pan for 1 and 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 1/2 minutes more.

Ladle cauliflower puree in a large bowl, top with wilted spinach and scallops.

Even though it was cool and rainy this weekend, we did a lot spring cleaning inside and  yard work outside, to get ready for the warm weather. Surely it is on its way!!  The sun tried to make an appearance but it was short lived.

To end the weekend on a good foot and to continue my theme of  “Bringing on Spring”, Sunday we made BBQ in the  slow cooker. To me, nothing says warm weather like a BBQ sandwich.

A lot of people make their BBQ with  different cuts of meat but I like using the tenderloin because it is so lean.

Start off by lightly spraying your crock pot.

Add tenderloin, sauce and a peach. Yes a peach! You can add whatever spices you like. Salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne etc. Some people may love their BBQ sauce enough and not feel like they need the spices. Salt and pepper are a must.

You know it’s ready when you can easily break the tenderloin apart like this.  At this point you shred and add more BBQ sauce.

Pile high on top of a bun. I wrap my buns (hehe-yes I am 7) in a damp cloth or paper towel and then in aluminum foil. Five minutes inside a 350 degree oven and they’re steamed to perfection.

I top with slaw (this particular day I thought ahead and took some help from Chikfila. Their slaw is good!)

A side of Alexia onion rings and some roasted okra and you’re done!

SLOW COOKER BBQ

ingredients: 

2-3 pound pork tenderloin

2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce, divided (plus more for topping sandwich)

1 peach, peeled and cut into large pieces

salt

pepper

spices (anything goes here. pinch of this, pinch of that), optional

instructions and directions: 

Lightly spray inside of the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.

Pour 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay tenderloin on top of the BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw in the cut up peach. Top with 1/2 cup of sauce.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours. When tenderloin breaks up easily, begin to shred. Add 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and cook 1 hour more. Finish shredding, add final 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce and stir to combine.

Serve on warm buns with slaw or your choice of toppings.

I have decided that I am going to will spring to start. Sort of like a rain dance during a drought. Except I am going to will the spring by making bright, light meals that beg for it.

Like this Grilled Fish with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa 

This meal was “Party In Your Mouth” good.

Season Salmon.

I think Tilapia, or a “thinner” whiter fish would have been good with this too.

During the summer, I will make this on the grill instead of roasting.

As a short cut, I used these instead of a whole grapefruit. Slacker.

The flavors of sweet and tangy grapefruit and lime juices went together so well with the jalapeno, onion and cilantro!

Gently fold it all together.

Top Salmon with salsa.

Grilled Fish with Grapefruit Avocado Salsa

ingredients:

4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon chile powder (more or less to taste)

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder (more or less to taste)

1  grapefruit cup, drained (or one large grapefruit, segmented)

1 small, firm but ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cubed

1/2 large jalapeno, seeded and minced

3 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

 instructions and directions: 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a glass baking dish, place the fish and brush on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin and  chile powder. Place in the oven and roast until almost opaque in the center, about 12-14 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine  grapefruit segments, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and lime juice in a small  bowl. Season the salsa to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve salsa over salmon.

adapted from williams sonoma 

This is what I like to call a Sunday meal. First of all, I made it on a Sunday.

Though it isn’t complicated, it isn’t ready in 10 minutes either.

Sundays are good days to have lots of people over for dinner and this makes a good bit of food.

If you don’t have people over and you have leftovers, you have lunch for Monday.

Sunday for the win.

Gather meatball ingredients

Knead to combine

Make like Ludicrus and “Roll out” your meatballs.

You read that right.

Meanwhile, assemble your marinara

And get the big pasta bowls ready!

Top angel hair with meatballs and sauce

Top with plenty of salty parmesan

ANGEL HAIR WITH MEATBALLS AND MUSHROOM MARINARA

for the meatballs: 

1 pound lean ground turkey (93/7)

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

1 egg

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for sprinkling

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

20 grinds fresh pepper

1 teaspoon salt

3 ounces of fresh mozzarella, grated

1/2 cup panko seasoned breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons tomato paste

instructions and directions: 

Heat oven to 375

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, knead thoroughly  Roll out  approximately 18 large meatballs and line on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Test a meatball by cutting it in half, to make sure it is cooked through.

Meanwhile….

for the marinara:

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounce package of fresh mushrooms

small yellow onion, diced

a 16 ounce and 8 ounce cans of tomato sauce (unless you can find a 24 🙂 )

2 garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon sea salt

10 grinds fresh pepper or 1 tsp pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

additional ingredients:

1, 16 ounce, box angel hair pasta (cooked separately according to package instructions)

grated Parmesan cheese

instructions and directions: 

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Saute onion and mushrooms until the water has evaporated from the pan. Around 8 minutes. Add all the ingredients from the sauce thorough celery salt. Simmer on low for 20 minutes while the meatballs are cooking. When meatballs are done, nestle in the pan of marinara to stay warm.

Cook angel hair according to package instructions, until al dente. Serve sauce and meatballs (we did 3 per person) over angel hair. Garnish with Parmesan and chopped parsley.

How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was relaxing. It started off at this new-ish brewery in Franklin with their delicious Portly Stout and a pleasantly hoppy Another Way to Rye. Yum. Check them out if you haven’t already.

In other eventful domestic  exciting news, I’ve gotten rid of another packet of seasoning!

I’ve always been a fan of a certain fajita seasoning packet but as usual, I didn’t like what was in the ingredient list.

Now, at my house,  fajita seasoning is homemade and I control the spices. After you mix these guys together, you’ll have a fast meal ahead of you.

I served ours with Cheesy Mexican Rice

Gather the spices and mix together

Saute onion and bell pepper

Set aside

Thinly slice chicken and cook

Bring back the bell and onion and add your homemade seasoning

Wrap in a tortilla

Top with cheese and sour cream

FAJITA SEASONING

ingredients: 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

10 twists freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon onion flakes

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chicken or beef bouillon (optional but recommended)

3 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

instructions and directions: 

Mix together all ingredients. Two tablespoons is equivalent to one packet. Add more or less to taste with cooked: 1 pound thinly sliced chicken and bell peppers.  Add 2 tablespoons of water at a time, until well combined.

Who likes Ranch Dressing? Me! Who likes to make it with a powder packet? Me! Who likes the ingredients in the packet? Hmm? Anyone?

Me neither.

So I figured out how to make it.

Here you have it.

Ranch Dressing

ingredients: 

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon onion salt

1⁄4  teaspoon dried parsley

1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder

1⁄4 teaspoon  salt

15 twists freshly ground white pepper

a pinch of dried thyme

a pinch of dried oregano

3/4-1 cup of milk (buttermilk would be delicious and a little thicker, but I used 1%)

instructions and directions: 

in a medium size bowl, combine all ingredients, except for milk. beat those ingredients on low for 30 seconds. slowly pour in milk and continue beating (slowly increasing speed) for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate (overnight if possible). Dressing will thicken in fridge. Keep covered up to two weeks!

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous!

We did lots of fun things! We went hiking, fired up the grill and attended the 10th Annual Main Street Brew Festival! It was great! I had heard mixed reviews about the festival but I give it two thumbs up. The check in (we bought our tickets on line) was easy, there was plenty of beer and the weather was great!!

These were the tasting glasses.

The whole weekend really got me in the mood for Spring. Too bad the weather is going to cool off again later this week.

If you are in the mood for a springy dish, you should try this Roasted Salmon with Yogurt Sauce. The sauce and salmon are made with an orange and while orange is technically a winter flavor, this meal was light and flavorful and perfect for spring.

The base of the sauce is yogurt! So it is super healthy and you don’t have to feel bad for having a little extra.  I tried to find full fat yogurt but fat free was all my store had.

Just mix all the ingredients for the sauce together and set aside while you get the salmon ready.

The seasonings for the salmon rub are really simple. They are just olive oil, salt pepper and orange peel.

Roast the salmon for 10-15 minutes

Meanwhile,  I sauteed some brocollini with shallots and garlic. If you have never had broccolini you should look for it. It is sort of a combination of broccoli and asparagus and I love the texture.

Top the roasted salmon with the orange caper sauce.

Roasted Salmon with Yogurt Sauce

ingredients: 

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish