Artichoke & Tomato Pasta For Meatless Monday

I found this recipe in the May 2013 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  Turned out I had all the ingredients to make it on hand except for fresh basil. I substituted spinach and added black olives for color and flavor. It went together quickly and tasted amazing.

Artichoke & Tomato Pasta

The Ingredients.

8 ounces spaghetti

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-28 ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes

1-6 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped

1 small can sliced black olives

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Small fresh basil leaves (I substituted a handful of baby spinach leaves)

Additional grated Parmesan cheese

The Directions.

1. In a Dutch oven cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Return pasta to the pot. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; toss to combine. Add enough of the reserved pasta water that pasta is evenly coated with cheese.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds more. Add undrained tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Mash slightly with a wooden spoon. Add fresh spinach and stir until spinach wilts.

3. To serve, top pasta with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

4 servings.

Salad Season Begins!

Healthy Tuna Salad  :)

Just checked the forecast for today: sunny with a high of 92. Yikes. We had snow on the ground a few days ago. What happened to spring? This tuna salad is perfect for warm weather. It gets a serious flavor boost by adding apples and celery for crunch and craisins for sweetness. Add as much of the ingredients listed below as you like.

The Ingredients: Tuna in water, drained Large elbow macaroni Dried cranberries (craisins) Celery, diced Sweet apple, cut into pieces Light mayonnaise Green onions, chopped Fresh baby spinach leaves Salt and pepper to taste

The Directions:

Mix tuna, craisins, celery, apple, mayonnaise, green onion, salt and pepper together in a bowl; add cooked macaroni and refrigerate 1 hour.

Just before serving, add spinach to tuna mixture and toss well. 

Meatless Monday and Earth Day

Today is Meatless Monday and Earth Day. Eat green and spread the word!

Meat has more of an impact on the environment than any other food we eat. Show the planet some love today and every Monday by going meatless.

The Mother Grain: Quinoa

My new fav food is quinoa, tiny bead-shaped grains with a delicate, nutty flavor.  Once a food staple of the ancient Incas. quinoa is actually the seed of a plant and is related to beets, chard and spinach.  It's been compared to couscous or rice, only it's much better for you. 


According to food.com, "quinoa contains more protein than any other grain, and is higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains. It's a very good source of calcium, iron, phosphorous, B vitamins, and vitamin E. Quinoa's slow-releasing carbohydrates help to maintain blood sugar levels."

I had no idea it was so good for you! Read on:

"Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, this 'grain' may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis."

See why it's my new fav? I served it twice this week and I feel healthier already! Hope you will give it a try soon.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/library/quinoa-533?oc=linkback

Southwest Quinoa Salad 
The Ingredients.

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained
1 plum tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

The Instructions.
In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper; set aside.
In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil; add quinoa and cumin. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn kernels, beans, tomato, avocado and onion. Pour lemon-cilantro dressing over top and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

Super Salad

This is so easy and so good for you. Next time you're at the grocery store, head to the produce section and grab a bag of baby spinach, a bag of matchstick carrots and a ripe avocado. That's all there is to this winning combination. I whipped up a jar of my favorite home-made dressing, tossed in a few croutons, and served this with baked chicken. 

The Ingredients.

1 bag baby spinach

1 bag matchstick carrots

1 avocado, sliced

The nice thing about this is you can use as much of the ingredients as you want.

The Dressing.

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. dried basil or oregano

Salt & pepper to taste

a little minced garlic from a jar

a little grey poupon mustard

Shake well in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, pour over salad and toss. Serve immediately.

My Meatless Monday Recipe On Tuesday

Here's a quick and tasty MEATLESS pasta salad recipe I found at PBS Food. Make a batch on Monday and have it for lunch all week (perfect to pack and take to the office). Or serve it as a side with grilled chicken or hamburgers. Think picnics. Yes, summer is coming. It's that season right after spring, which officially begins next week. Salad went together fast (always my favorite). Try substituting tri-color rotini pasta for more color. DE-licious!

GREEK CHICK PEA PASTA SALAD

The Ingredients.

1 cup dry elbow macaroni

¾ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 6-oz jar quartered artichoke hearts

½ cup chopped olives

1 tsp dried oregano

4 sundried tomatoes, chopped

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp black pepper

pinch of sea salt

The Directions.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, artichoke hearts (with oil from the jar), olives, sundried tomatoes, oregano, feta and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine. Add the cooled macaroni and toss again.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to five days.

Yield: 4 servings

I ♥ Mason Jars

I'm pretty sure you're all familiar with the glass jars used in canning. I still remember when my mom canned dill pickles, peaches and tomatoes, back in the 1950's. Her watermelon pickles were out-of-this-world delicious. But it was a huge production and kept her busy in the kitchen for several days.

Here's a little background information on those famous jars. In 1858, a man by the name of John Mason invented and patented the first glass jar with a screw-on cap. The jars produced an air-tight seal, were affordable and re-useable, and made it possible to preserve garden and farm produce. They revolutionized the food world!

Mason jars are still the most common term for jars used in home canning. And now they provide a wonderful VINTAGE feel in all sorts of unexpected ways and places. I think Mr. Mason would be amazed! The jars are a fun, inexpensive and practical way to decorate your home. You can use them for vases, drinking glasses, even storage. I've gathered some of my favorite ways to use them below.

I love the look of this silverware caddy. The mason jars hold vintage flatware.

How about a mason jar pencil holder!

You can store cupcake liners in mason jars. So colorful!



Lilacs look lovely in an old, blue-tinted jar.



How about a button jar?



For candlelight, fill the bottom of your jars about 1/4 to 1/3 full of rice, sand or coarse salt; then pop in a candle.

You can serve lemonade or iced tea in mason jar drinking glasses.



Make a pin cushion and sewing kit, using mason jars.



And finally, how about this clever wreath for the yard, made out of jar rings!

Fun Breakfast Idea for a Winter Morning

Snowman pancakes with bacon. Add a few chocolate chips for eyes, nose and buttons, mini-marshmallows for snow and voila! Yes, please!    From Pinterest

Hippetty Hop: Making Easter Baskets

Just put together an Easter basket for a friend who had knee replacement surgery (Hi Cathy!). No peeps or chocolate bunnies. Instead, I used wrapped candies: Godiva truffles, a milk-chocolate salted caramel bar and fancy jelly beans. Target has some really fabulous metal pails and Easter grass in fun colors. Plus I found a charming little monogram tag. It was so much fun to make.