side dish
Although our kids are grown and I don’t need to have snacks on demand anymore, this recipe is still a keeper! I love the chocolate peanut butter combination and this recipe is perfect. This would also be a great bake sale item for when the kids are back in school but no matter why you make them, I know you will enjoy them!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups oats
1 cup halved cashews
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
DIRECTIONS
Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Combine cereal, oats and nuts in a large bowl and mix. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine brown sugar, corn syrup and honey mixing well and combining until the mixture just starts to boil. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, salt and vanilla, mix to combine and pour over cereal mixture and combine until well coated. Add the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips mixing again. Pour entire mixture into your prepared pan and pat down forming a flat single layer.
Let cool and slice into bars. Store covered.
Enjoy!
This is another super simple, super tasty, dish from chef Michael Simon! This is best made ahead and left to sit in the fridge for a couple hours before serving. This is great for a gathering when you have a lot going on! We have all had the broccoli salads but I really enjoyed this dish as it has dried cherries and spicy brown mustard. The cherries add such a great sweet flavor and the mustard brings some nice spice to the party! This will be on my menu all summer!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 1/3 cup peanuts or cashews, salted
2 1/3 cup dried cherries
1 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/2 bunch of dill, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Add your cut and trimmed broccoli into a large bowl… add nuts, cherries and scallions. In another bowl add buttermilk, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and dill. Whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over broccoli mixture and stir well coating all of the broccoli with the sauce. Store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
I may have said it a time or two, but I am a HUGE fan of chef Michael Simon. I enjoy watching him on the Food Network but love him on the show, The Chew! This recipe is one that he made on The Chew and one he makes for his vegetarian wife, as well as serving it at one of his restaurants! I knew this recipe was going to be good and it most certainly was… it was delicious and super easy to make. I cheated slightly and bought the bag of coleslaw mix. If you want to make this ahead you can mix all of the dressing ingredients together and store in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, just pour over the coleslaw mix and serve! This would be fantastic for any party, picnic or family dinner!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1 Cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
16 ounce bag of coleslaw mix
1/4 cup scallions, washed and sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl add the vinegar, sugar, mayo, mustard, oil, salt, pepper and poppy seeds mixing well. Add the coleslaw mix and scallions. Mix well to coat all of the slaw mix with the dressing. Store covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Summer is officially here and this means the grill is going with your favorite chicken or steak, but what about those side dishes? This week is all about easy delicious side dishes great for your holiday celebrations and gatherings. This one today is perfect for a simple side with your favorite person! Jim and I both love roasted vegetables and this one has a little twist that you might enjoy! I added some Italian seasonings and Asiago cheese. If you have not had Asiago, it adds a nice nutty flavor to the cheese.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh trimmed asparagus
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 large tomato, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1/2 cup Asiago cheese
DIRECTIONS
Turn your oven to broil, leaving the oven door open slightly, and move your oven rack to the top portion of the oven.
On a baking sheet add your trimmed asparagus, oil, salt, pepper, and zest. Mix coating all of the asparagus. Add the tomatoes to the sheet pan on a single layer also coating the tomato slices with oil, salt, pepper and zest. Sprinkle the asparagus and tomatoes with the Italian seasoning and Asiago cheese. Place the sheet pan under the broiler still keeping the oven door open and watching closely. When the cheese is melted and lightly browned, and vegetables have softened, remove from oven and serve warm.
Enjoy!
This week to is all about easy Greek recipes. I loved this salad! I shared it with a friend who had never had Halloumi cheese and he was thrilled. He enjoyed the salad as much as I did! You can do the dressing and vegetables ahead of time and pan fry the cheese just before serving to make it a little easier! If you have not tried Halloumi cheese, it is a Greek squeaky cheese that is s great for grilling or pan frying. It does not melt like most cheeses. If we are grilling I will sometimes throw this on the grill for a quick snack before dinner.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons of Greek seasoning (found in your spice aisle)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of fresh cracked pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
12 large green olives, sliced
2 seedless cucumbers, sliced
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
8 ounces Halloumi cheese, sliced into one inch sticks
DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, Greek seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and mix well.
Add the sliced olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion, coating with the dressing. Heat a medium fry pan over medium heat and add the Halloumi cheese slices and cook on one side until golden brown, turn the cheese and cook the second side until golden brown. Remove from heat and slice the cheese into bite size pieces and add to the salad and coating with the dressing. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
