{Summer Vegetable Cobbler}

This was a great dish. My garden is producing way to much zucchini then I know what to do with so I am really happy that I found this recipe. I used all zucchini but you can use any squash or a combo of any and it would be delicious

2 Tbs butter

3 small zucchini, sliced

1 small sweet red pepper, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs flour

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Biscuit Topping:

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbs cold butter

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

3 Tbs fresh basil, minced

2/3 cups milk

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and onion; cook and stir 10-12 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
• In a small bowl, whisk flour, milk, salt and pepper; stir into vegetables. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spoon into a greased 8-in.-square baking dish.
• For topping, in a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and basil. Add milk; stir just until moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls over filling. Bake 25-30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. 

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

{Restaurant Style Salsa}

I love salsa, if I had my choice I would eat it for dinner. My favorite is fresh salsa from veggies in my garden. Since it hasn't yet produced veggies quite yet I made this, and it was awesome and addicting. It makes a lot so you can eat it for a few days too.

1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (10oz) rotel. I use the mild
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 whole jalapeño, halved (I take the seeds out because I don't like it too spicy)
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 whole lime, juiced

In a large food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients together and blend until well combined.

Recipe adapted from: Two Peas & their Pod

{Buttermilk Biscuits}

I don't make biscuits very often but these went great with our Sunday dinner and didn't take long to prepare at all.

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs sugar
1 1/2tsp baking Powder
1 stick butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and butter until crumbly. Mix in the buttermilk, egg and just enough water to make a workable dough. Mix the dough until it is just barely combined (don't over mix) Roll the dough onto a floured cutting board about 1 inch thick.  Cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter, or a 2 inch round cup. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.                                                                    

The Best Asparagus Dish Ever.

The title is true. This is the most amazing way to eat asparagus in my book. The flavors were incredible. It's really addictive, I couldn't stop eating it. Supposedly this was a contest winner, I believe it! I will be making this again and again.

4 oz pancetta, cut into chunks
1 Tbs butter
1 pound asparagus, wood ends trimmed, sliced into 2 inch pieces
1 1/4 cups leeks, sliced, white and pale green parts only
2 cloves garlic
zest of one lemon
1 tsp orange zest
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1-2 Tbs dried italian parsley
1 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

In a large non stick pan, saute pancetta over med heat until crisp and lightly golden.
Add 1 Tbs butter, add in the asparagus and leeks. Saute until the asparagus is tender but still crisp about 3-4 minutes

Add garlic, lemon and orange zest, toasted pine nuts, parsley and garlic salt. Saute for 1-2 more minutes until fragrant  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.


Recipe Source: Food 52

{Cheesy Potatoes AKA Funeral Potatoes}

I have had a ton of different variations of this recipe and this one is the best one I have tried. I like that they don't have any condensed soup in them. They are really easy and always turn out cheesy and delicious.

3 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 cup light sour cream

Topping:
3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent,a bout 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined. Finally, stir in the sour cream.

In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

{Homemade Celery and Herb Stuffing}

I have always loved stuffing at Thanksgiving time. It's probably my favorite part of the whole meal. I decided last year to try making homemade stuffing, and Thanksgiving will never be the same. This was so amazing and really a lot more simple then I thought it would be. I actually made it the night ahead and kept in the fridge until it was ready to put in the oven the next day. I will be making this every year from here on out.

7 tablespoons butter, plus more for dish and baking
1 loaf rustic/artisan/crusty white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 9 1/2 cups bread cubes)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced in half-moons
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 to 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Toss with bread cubes in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets. Toast in the oven, tossing once, until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Heat the oil and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add celery, onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft, about 10 minutes.

To bake all of the stuffing in the oven: (this is my preferred method) Put vegetable mixture and toasted bread into large bowl. Stir in poultry seasoning, herbs, and 2 cups broth into stuffing. Stir in 4 eggs until bread mixture is well coated. Spoon into a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and dot generously with butter. Cover with foil, and bake in a 375° oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more.

To stuff inside of turkey: Put vegetable mixture and toasted bread into a bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth, the poultry seasoning, and herbs; season with salt and pepper. Stir in 3 eggs. Stuff inside of turkey and bake.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

{Garlic Spaghetti}

This is a recipe from my sister. It is amazing with any kind of chicken parmesan dish. The key is to not let the garlic burn, so watch it carefully.

1 box of spaghetti 

1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil

2 cans of chopped olives

1 to 1 1/2 tsp of italian capers

1 whole head of garlic, finley chopped ( or about 5-6 Tbs minced in the bottled )

1 tsp salt

In a small sauce pan, place all ingredients and bring to a slow boil, cooking on low to simmer together for at least 45 minutes. (do not let the garlic scorch) sometimes I shut it off and restart so not to burn.

{Grilled Corn with Cilantro Lime Butter}

Another summer favorite...Corn on the Cob. Except this version will knock your socks off its so good. We had a BBQ with our friends and they introduced us to this recipe and I don't think we can ever go back to plain ol' butter again. Thanks Brooke and Carl :)

• 1 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest, plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt
• 12 ears corn, husked
• Grated cotija or parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
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• Puree cilantro, butter, lime zest and juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor.
• Heat grill to medium-high. Brush corn with some of the cilantro butter, and season with salt. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until nicely charred and bright in color, 10 to 12 minutes. Brush corn again with remaining cilantro butter. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Serve warm.

{Cafe Rio's Cilantro Lime Rice}

I LOVE cafe rio, I could seriously eat it every night. The other night I made this rice with these Honey Lime Enchiladas, and it was a meal made in heaven. So good!!!

4 Tbs butter
2 1/2 cups rice
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
Juice and zest of 4 small limes
4 Tbs chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin

*You can cut this recipe in half if you don't want to make as much.

In a large pan melt the butter and add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes. Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 20-25 minutes.

{Garlic and Herb Bread}

By far the best I've had!

1 stick of softened butter
6 garlic cloves
1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Bread of choice ( I like specialty breads, that have a hard crust but a soft center)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil inside of a food processor, add butter, garlic, cheese and herbs. Pulse until well combined. Spread the butter mixture onto each slice of bread. Bake for about 7 minutes.

Adapted from: Giada De Laurentiis

{Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes}

These made an appearance this year at out Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone loved them :) My husband is so excited that we now have a great mashed potato recipe.

5 pounds unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
1 cube butter, room temperature
5 oz romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped garlic (I used the bottled and taste as you go, it may need more)
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Stir in the butter, cheese, milk, garlic, salt and oregano. Mash with a potato masher or with a stand mixer.

{Fluffy Corn Bread}

I used to not be a big fan of corn bread until I tried this recipe. It is so moist and fluffy. And has the perfect amount of sweetness.

1 cup cornmeal
3  cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups oil
6 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed. Bake in a 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

{Basic Hummus}

Pita chips and hummus are one of my favorite snacks! Homemade hummus is so delicious you will never want to buy store bought again I promise. This stuff is so great in so many ways and with so many things. Dip for veggies, chips, you can put it in wraps, really anything. I love it! Oh and did I mention it's super easy to make?

3-4 peeled garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 (15.5oz) cans chickpeas
6 Tbs tahini
6 Tbs lemon juice
up to 3 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, curly or flat, rinsed and drained
1/2 to 1-1/2 tsp salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

 Add garlic cloves, chickpeas, tahini, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. After putting the lid tightly in place, process until a thick, coarse paste is formed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Check the consistency of the hummus. If you’re happy with the texture of the hummus, add the salt, parsley, black pepper and cayenne pepper, and any optional add-ins, and pulse until evenly combined. If you would like it to be thinner and/or smoother, add the olive oil and process for an additional minute.

{Easy Salsa}

I love Mexican food, I feel like I make it a lot and the one thing always missing is some really good Salsa to go along with it. I hate the bottled salsa at the store, so I wanted to start making my own. Luckily my Sister in Law has a good recipe that I slightly adapted. It's really simple to make and it tasted great! I used my food processor to make it, but I know that a blender would do the trick too.















2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, drained
1/2 onion, finely diced
1-2 tsp minced garlic
1 lime, juiced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canned sliced green chiles
3-5 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro


Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, green chiles, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Blend on low to desired consistency.

{Crispy Parmesan Asparagus}

Have I mentioned that I love asparagus?? Well I do. And here is another yummy way to eat it :)














1 bunch Asparagus
2 whole Egg
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
Salt And Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cooking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
Snap off the tough ends of each asparagus spear. On two separate plates, add the eggs (lightly beaten) in one, and the panko, flour, and cheese in the other. Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper if desired. Coat each asparagus spear in eggs, then lay in the panko mixture and thoroughly cover. If the panko won’t stick, dip back in the eggs and roll in panko once again. Lay each spear on the wire rack.
Bake at 425ºF for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

{Herb Roasted Potatoes}

These are amazing and so simple. I put mine in a big zip lock bag and shook them up until they were well coated. They turned out perfect with great flavor. I Made these over the weekend to go along with a Roast. YUM















¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch cubes, leave the skin on

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients except potatoes in large bowl or ziploc bag. Stir (or shake the bag) to blend well. Add the cut potatoes to the seasoning mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in a single layer. Bake until the potatoes are browned and tender, about 40 minutes, flipping the potatoes with a spatula halfway through cooking.

{Quinoa with Toasted Pine Nuts and Feta}

I recently just bought my first bag of quinoa (Keen-Wa) and have tried a few different recipes, this one has been my favorite so far. The flavor combinations go perfectly. For those of you who have not tried quinoa, it is packed with nutrients like protein and fiber. It's cooked basically the same way as rice but it is similar looking to couscous with a slightly nutty flavor. There are so many different ways to eat this. Good stuff!















1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cups chicken broth or water
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, about 1 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pine nuts, garlic, reserved oil, parsley, feta and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss.

{Naan}

This is so yummy to go along side your favorite Indian dish. This is just plain Naan (Indian Flatbread) but I have seen people incorporate fresh Cilantro into the dough or sprinkle with garlic powder to give it different flavors. Either way you will love it!

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• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbs warm water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs plain yogurt
• 2/3 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
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• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy.
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• Start to mix the dough by adding the flour, salt, baking powder, oil, yogurt and warm milk in a separate bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture.

Knead the dough together until you have a soft, pliable dough. About 3-4 minutes. Place the ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Pinch off 8 equal sized balls and roll with a rolling pin into circle or oval shapes until 1/8 inches thick.

Heat a griddle to 400 degrees and cook both sides until slightly fluffy and have formed brown spots on the bottom. About 2 minutes per side. Brush with melted butter while still hot, sprinkle the tops with kosher salt.

{Cilantro Flavored Rice}

We eat rice as our side more than anything else, so I like to find new ways to serve it. It seems like I always have Cilantro in my Fridge and we love the Cilantro Lime Rice but I wanted to switch it up a bit...This is really tasty, I love the added garlic and onion flavor.













1 cup long grain rice
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs chopped onion
1 garlic clove
about 9 sprigs of fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the rice and onion, let that cook for about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, six cilantro sprigs chopped and garlic. Season with salt. Cover and turn down the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes until fluffy. Serve with a little extra cilantro if desired.

{Candied Pecans}

My husband and I love to make our own salads and get creative, and these are REALLY good in salad or just to munch on :) They are really easy to make, trust me :)



















You take 1-2 cups of pecans and put them in a small sauce pan with 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5-7 minutes. After awhile the liquid will desolve and the pecans will start to get a candy coating on them at this point add 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Keep stirring until completely coated. If they are runny at all they aren't done yet.