Spring Nicoise Potato Salad with Pear Apricot Muffin

This was a refreshing dinner on a hot afternoon. 

Spring Nicoise Potato Salad is a recipe from Oldways, adapted from the US Potato Board. I used very low sodium Albacore tuna and skipped the added salt in the recipe.

The muffin recipe was inspired by Kitchen Daily's Caramel Pear Muffin.  I substituted plumped dried apricots for the caramels.

Pear Apricot Muffins
(Serves 6)

1 Egg
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar
Beat in mixer.

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
Dash Salt
In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Stir in
1 Bosc Pear, peeled and diced
7 Dried Apricots, diced and plumped in water in the microwave for 45 seconds (drain water)

1/3 cup Skim Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread, melted
Add milk, vanilla and spread to sugar-egg mixture.
Stir in dry ingredients-pear-apricot mixture.

Portion 1/4 cup batter into muffin tin sprayed with Pam.

Topping
1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Oats
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbsp. Melted Earth Blend Buttery Spread
Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over batter in tin.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Picnic with Greek Beef Salad and Strawberry Dark Chocolate Shortcakes

Today's salad recipe was inspired by Laura's Lean Beef and shortcake recipe from California Strawberries.  Here's what I put together:

Greek Beef Salad
(Serves 2)

1/2 small Sirloin Tip Roast
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tsp. Fresh Oregano
1 1/2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Marinate Beef in refrigerator for 1 hour.  Then cook in the crockpot on low for about 5 hours until tender.  I cooked in the marinade, then discarded marinade after cooking.  Slice meat with electric knife across the grain.

Vegetable Topping
1/4 cup Garbanzo Beans (I use the cooked, frozen no added salt version from Hanover)
6 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1 Green Onion
8 Grape Tomatoes, quartered
8 Cremini Mushrooms, sliced and cooked
2 Mini Sweet Peppers, diced
Mix together and store in container prior to assembly.  Occasionally turn and shake container to mix flavors.

Dressing
2 tsp. Olive Oil
2 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash
1/2 tsp.  Fresh Oregano, snipped

Assembly
Fresh Salad Greens (some were from my container garden)
Sliced Beef
Snap Peas, cooked
Vegetable Topping
Pea Shoots
Gorganzola Cheese Crumbles

We ate ours with my "Dressed Up Cornbread".  Topping is 1 Tbsp. Diced Dried Apricots (plumped in microwave with water for 45 seconds), 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar and 1 Tbsp. Walnuts.  Topping is for 6 muffins.

Strawberry Dark Chocolate Shortcakes
(Serves 8)

2/3 cup Skim Milk
3 100% Cacao unsweetened Chocolate
1 tsp. Vanilla
Microwave milk and chocolate on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Cool.

3/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/4 cup Earth Blend Buttery Spread
Mix dry ingredients in food processor.  Add buttery spread.  Slowly add milk chocolate mixture.  Portion onto parchment lined baking sheet. (Mine made 13 small circles).  Baked at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Assembly
2 Tbsp. Yogurt
1 Brownie Shortcake, halved
Sliced Fresh Strawberries
2 Tbsp. Yogurt
Sliced Fresh Strawberries

Valley Falls State Park near Fairmont WV was another great place to picnic, then take a hike and pictures.

 

 

Next week it will be a red, white and blue picnic!

Strawberry Stuffed Chicken Breast

This recipe was inspired by California Strawberries. We made a version of it at work Wednesday.  The original recipe looks like a pocket, at work we filled a top slit.  I made mine in a roll, then sliced to serve an attractive filled breast.  First the recipe, then the technique. 

Strawberry Stuffing
(Serves 4)

1/2 cup diced Fresh Strawberries
1/4 cup Cran-Grape Juice
Marinate strawberries in juice for 1 hour.

2 Cornbread Muffins, crumbled in food processor and dried slightly
1 1/2 tsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves, diced
1 Green Onion, diced
Drain strawberries, reserving juice.  Mix cornbread crumbs, thyme, onion and strawberries.

Fill chicken breasts.  Pour reserved juice over breast.  Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, until thickest part of chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Filled Chicken Breast
(my technique)

Lay piece of plastic wrap on clean counter.

 

Unfold chicken breast on plastic.

 

 Top with second piece of plastic wrap.

 

Cover with dry dish towel.

 

 

Pound chicken.

 

 

Place filling across flattened chicken breast, leaving edges bare.

 

 

 

Roll chicken breast.  It does not have to seal.

 

Slice baked produce thinly with an electric knife.

 

This is an attractive way to prepare chicken with tasty fillings- spinach and feta, cranberries and Brie, tomatoes and chard, to name a few.  One filled chicken breast serves both Bob and I.

Summer Fruit Crisp

Three of my favorite summer fruits-cherries, blueberries and plums are so delicious, I did not add sugar to the fruit mixture.  I simply cut enough fruit to fill my baking dish and sprinkled in a tiny bit of cornstarch.  I did add a small amount of sugar to the oat topping, along with other tasty mix-ins:

Oat Topping
(Serves 6)

2 Tbsp. Oats
2 Tbsp. Pecan Meal
2 Tbsp. Toasted unsweetened Coconut
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Sprinkle over fruit mixture.  Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.

Veggie Bake

I hit the jackpot at my workplace Farmer's Market today.  Pickling cucumbers, red potatoes, broccoli, snow peas and herbs, all for a great price!

Tonight's dinner feature was inspired by a recipe in Vegetarian Times June issue titled I-Love-Veggies! Bake.  Here's how I put it all together:

Veggie Bake
(Serves 3)

(Sauce)
1 cup Fresh Cauliflower
Steam
1 Garlic Clove, diced
1/4 cup Onion, diced
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Sautee garlic and onion in olive oil.
Place the above ingredients and
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
2 Tbsp. Almonds
in mini food processor and blend.

Layer vegetables, herbs and sauce into a baking dish sprayed with Pam:
2 Red Potatoes, peeled and sliced thin with a mandolin
3 Tbsp. Sauce, Green Onion and Fresh Herbs
1/2 small Zucchini, sliced
2 Tbsp. Sauce, Green Onion and Fresh Herbs
14 Asparagus Spears
2 Tbsp. Sauce, Green Onion and Fresh Herbs
1/2 cup Sweet Potato, peeled and sliced thin
3 Tbsp. Sauce, Green Onion and Fresh Herbs

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Remove foil.
Top with
1-2 Tbsp. Slivered Almonds
Green Onion and Fresh Herb pieces
Bake 10-15 minutes until Almonds are browned.
Let sit 5 minutes before portioning.

Our meal was served with Roasting Chicken Slices, Cucumber and Tomato Salad, Pumpernickel Bread and Mixed Fruit Cobbler.

Tilapia Pasta

Tonight's meal was super easy, inspired by a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens May 2014 issue.

Tilapia Pasta
(Serves 2)

2 Tilapia Fillets
Bake at 350 degrees in toaster oven.

2 servings Whole Wheat Spagetti
Cook in hot water.

1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, diced
1/4 cup Yellow Onion, diced
1/4 cup Fennel Bulb, diced
Heat oil in skillet.  Sautee garlic, onion and fennel.
Add
1 cup Diced Tomatoes in Juice (no added salt)
4 oz. Tomato Sauce (no added salt)
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
Heat.
Add
Baked Tilapia Fillets, cut in bite size pieces
Drained cooked Spaghetti
Heat
Garnish with
Fresh Cilantro

Dessert was awesome too!

Mixed Fruit Cobbler

 

Last night I mixed several fruits together, portioned some for Monday's salad and the rest for this dessert.  My mixed fruit included Mango (peeled, diced), Peach (peeled, diced), Plum (diced), Blueberries and Cherries (pitted, diced).  I sprinkled in a little cornstarch, placed in a loaf pan sprayed with Pam and baked at 350 for 25 minutes.  The fruit sauce produced was awesome.  I had biscuits from Sunday's Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler to top this dessert and a little bit of Dream Whip. 

 

I certainly colored by plate tonight with these vitamin rich fruits and vegetables!

Provencal Tartlet and Mexican Fruit Cocktail

The pastry for this roasted vegetable tartlet was crumbly, but literally melted in your mouth!  It was delicious.  The recipe was inspired by Vegetarian Times.  I do not buy Cream Cheese so I did not follow it verbatim.

Provencal Tartlet
(Serves 2)

1/2 small Zucchini Squash, diced
1/4 cup Yellow Onion, diced
2 Mini Sweet Peppers, diced
1/3 cup Cauliflower, diced flowers
1/4 cup Fennel Bulb, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
4 Fresh Thyme Sprigs, leaves only
Fresh Basil
Fresh Cilantro
8 Grape Tomatoes, quartered
Mrs. Dash
Roast vegetables in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Cool.
Add:
2 Tbsp. Gorgonzola Cheese
1 Tbsp. Shredded Swiss Cheese

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
2 Tbsp. Whole Grain Cornmeal
1/4 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 Tbsp. Cold Water
Mix flours, cornmeal, spread and water in mini food processor.  Chill for 1 hour.
Divide dough in half.  Roll into disc.  Place in mini pizza pan.  Mound vegetable mixture in center. Lift and pleat dough around vegetables.  Brush with:
Beaten Egg
Sprinkle pastry with Mrs. Dash.
Bake at 375 degrees 30 minutes.

Mexican Fruit Cocktail

Sprinkle cut fresh fruit with Cayenne Pepper and Fresh Lime Juice.
My fruit has mango, plum, peach, blueberries and pitted cherries. 

Greene (County) Goodness

Today's Picnic Setting was at Ryerson Station State Park in West Greene County, Pa.  Today's Picnic Menu included:

Baked Chicken Taco Salad

Green Beans and Olives

Corn and Peach Salad

Carrot Bran Muffins

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

 

As I prepared last night's dinner, I cooked the green beans and corn and portioned two of the cobbler desserts into parfait dishes.  The chicken was sliced from the Herb Roasted Chicken made last night and marinated overnight.  The chicken recipe was inspired by Nourish & Heal magazine.

 

 

 

Baked Chicken Taco Salad

(Serves 2)

 

5 oz. Sliced Baked Roasted Chicken

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lime

Marinate overnight in refrigerator.  Prepare a fresh salsa with Grape Tomatoes, Mini Sweet Peppers and Fresh Cilantro.

 

The salads were inspired by Better Homes and Gardens Magazine June issue.

 

 

Green Beans and Olives



(Serves 2)

 

2/3 cup Cooked Fresh Green Beans

6 Kalamata Olives, diced

1 stalk Celery, cided

1 Green Onion, diced

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

1 tsp. Olive Oil

Marinate overnight, turning container occasionally to mix.

 

 

Corn and Peach Salad

(Serves 4)

 

1 Ear Fresh Corn, cooked and cut off the cob

1 Fresh Peach, peeled and diced

3 Radishes, thinly sliced

1 tsp. Olive Oil

2 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar

Marinate overnight, turning occasionally to mix.

 

The muffin recipe was inspired by Better Nutrition Magazine.

 

Carrot Bran Muffins

(6 Muffins)

 

1 Egg

3 Tbsp. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Molasses

Beat on medium speed of mixer.

 

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Oat Bran

3/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/4 tsp. Baking soda

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Mix in

3/4 cup Shredded Carrots

1/4 cup diced Prunes

 

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread

1/2 cup Skim Milk

1 1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice

2 tsp. Orange Zest

Mix these ingredients.

 

Alternately add dry and liquid ingredients to beaten egg mixture, mixing by hand.  Portion into muffin tin sprayed with Pam.

 

6 Date Halves

Place date half into center of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Remove from tin and cool on rack.

 

Our Sunday picnics are the best!  Bob picks the spot and I prepare the meal!

 

 







Herb Roasted Chicken, Vegetables and Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

The Herb Roasted Chicken was inspired by a recipe from West Virginia Chef Dale Hawkins as featured in The Local Palate magazine. 

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
(Serves 4)

1 5# Roasting Chicken, antibiotic free

2 Garlic Cloves
1 Green Onion
Thyme Leaves, from 3 stems
Fresh Cilantro and Basil
3/4 cup Spring Mix
Chop herbs in mini food processor.  Cover top of Roasting Chicken with herb mixture.

6 Red Potatoes, halved
2 Celery Stalks, julienne cut
3 Carrots, julienne cut
3/4 cup Green Beans
2 Turnips, quartered
2 Green Onions
Place vegetables in the bottom of an iron skillet or deep pan.  Place herb covered chicken over the vegetables.  Roast at 450 degrees for 1 hour.  Cover with foil, reduce heat and continue baking until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

While visiting our son and daughter-in-law in Minneapolis, I purchased this beautiful bowl from local artist Sarah Simpson.  The recipe was also Minnesota based from Birchwood Café in Minnesota Cooks.  We're planning a picnic tomorrow and I also have 2 parfait cups made with this cobbler.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobber
(Serves 6)

2 pints Fresh Strawberries, quartered
2 stalks Rhubarb, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tbsp. Sugar
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg
Mix and place in 9 X 13 inch baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Whole Grain Cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
3 Tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
Mix in mini food processor.  Add
1/3 cup Cold Skim Milk
Drop by 1 Tablespoon scoop on hot fruit mixture. 
Sprinkle dough balls with Turbinado sugar.
Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes.
Serve with Dream Whip.

Our Sunday picnic will include leftover white chicken meat and the cobbler.

Smoky Slider and Hash Brown Skewers

This festive dinner platter was super tasty.  Smoky Slider Skewers is on the cover of this month's Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.  The recipe for baked Mini Hash Browns is from Good Housekeeping.

Smoky Slider Skewers
(Serves 2)

6 oz. 92% Lean Ground Beef
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Hungarian Paprika
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder

Mix on low speed of mixer.  Portion with 1/4 cup scoop.  Skew 2 per skewer.  Add to 450 degree oven with Hash Browns the last 15 minutes. of baking. 1 portion is 2 sliders on 1 skewer.

Mini Hash Browns
(Serves 2)

1 Baking Potato
1 Egg
2 tsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Earth Blend Buttery Spread
1 Green Onion, diced
1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

Peel and shred potato.  Mix egg, flour, melted buttery spread, onion and Mrs. Dash.  Add potato.  Portion into 2 Tbsp. patties onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Turn with spatula.  Bake 15 more minutes. 1 portion is 2 patties.

Our meal was served over 1 heated Corn Tortilla and topped with a homemade salsa of grape tomatoes, sweet peppers, fresh cilantro and black beans.

Ratatouille Egg Bake



This Ratatouille Egg Bake is a great item to make before grocery day or before a trip to "use up all your vegetables".  That's what we did last night.

For my veggies, I cleaned and cut:

1 clove Garlic
2 mini Sweet Peppers
1/4 cup Onions
1/2 cup Broccoli Flowers
1 Carrot
I sliced and microwaved the carrot for 2 minutes to soften.

1 tsp. Olive Oil
Sautee above vegetables in olive oil.

1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. fresh Oregano
2/3 cup Diced Tomatoes, canned without salt
Add to other vegetables and heat to evaporate some of the liquid.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In the bottom of an oven proof baking dish, melt 1 Tbsp.  Earth Balance buttery spread.  Add 2 slices 7 Grain Bread, cubed.  Toss and coat.  (Use spread and bread of your choice.)

Cover bread with Ratatouille.  Add cheese if desired (I added 2 Tbsp. Gorgonzola Cheese),  Crack the eggs over the cheese.  Bake for 12 minutes or until egg whites are set.

This dish can be made any day with any combination of vegetables or cheese.  I keep canned no added salt tomatoes in the cupboard and eggs in the refrigerator and bread in the bread box or freezer.  Here's my version for one, made in a mini cast iron skillet:

This dish was inspired by a post on Kitchen Daily from The Woks of Life, the Leung Family.

Shrimp Nectarine Stir Fry

Tonight's meal was inspired by Cooking Light's 30 minute meals.  It was just that, quick, simple and very satisfying.  The side dish was also tasty!

Shrimp Nectarine Stir Fry
(Serves 2)

1/3 pound Raw Shrimp
1 clove Garlic, diced
2 mini Sweet Peppers, julienne sliced
2 Tbsp. Onion
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, shredded
1/4 Zucchini, sliced
1 Nectarine, peeled and sliced in small pieces (include juice)
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
Peel and devein shrimp.  Add oil to small saucepan along with garlic, peppers, onion and ginger.  Sautee 2 minutes.  Add shrimp.  Cover and cook for 3 minutes, turning once.  Add
zucchini, nectarine and juice of fruit.  Heat throughout. 

Serve over 1 pack (divide on 2 plates) Brown Rice Noodles.

Cucumber Tomato Salad
(Serves 2)

1/3  Seedless Cucumber, peeled and sliced thin with mandolin
1/3 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1 tsp. Sesame Oil
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Seed

Picnic in the Rain

If it looks like it's dark in the picture, it was.  We drove east of our home in West Virginia to Swallow Falls in Maryland, trying to avoid the rain.  We drove into a gulley washer and arrived at the park in sunshine.  While walking the one mile trail to view the falls, the rain began again and we joined a large group of middle school campers in a pavilion where we found a spot to set up our picnic. 

 

While the kids had barbeque and hot dogs, we set our places with Fig-Glazed Roast Turkey, Bean Salad, Tomatoes and Cucumbers with Fresh Herbs, Nectarine Yogurt Parfait and Spinach Feta Scone. 

 

Fig-Glazed Roast Turkey

(Serves 4)

 

1 Turkey Breast Tenderloin

1/2 cup Dried Figs, chopped in mini food processor

2 tsp. Honey

1 cup Warm Water

Pour water and honey over figs.  Let set for 20 minutes.

Pour mixture over tenderloin in baking dish and roast at 325 degrees about 1 hour until center of turkey is 165 degrees.  Slice thinly with electric knife, pour figs and sauce over sliced roast and refrigerate overnight.

Recipe from Food Network Magazine.

 

Bean Salad with Lemon and Herbs

(Serves 2)

 

4 oz. Fresh Green Beans, cooked

1 cup cooked Northern Beans (I use the Hanover brand cooked frozen beans without salt)

1 Tbsp. Fresh Herbs (I cut these from my container gardens-a mixture of basil and cilantro)

2 tsp. Olive Oil

1 Mini Sweet Pepper, diced

1 tsp. Lemon Juice

Dash Mrs. Dash

Mix well and store overnight.

Recipe from Bon Appetit.

 

 

Nectarine Yogurt Parfait

(Serves 2)

 

1 Fresh Nectarine, peeled and diced

3/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, non fat

1/2 tsp. Coconut Extract

1 tsp. Honey

2 Tbsp. Toasted Unsweetened Coconut

2 Tbsp. Ground Pecans

Mix yogurt, honey, extract and coconut.  Layer yogurt, nectarines and pecans in parfait glasses.

 

 While we were setting our places, the counselors with the school group were smiling.  One of the men came over and asked us if this was a special occasion.  When I replied, no, it's something we do often, he said, "Keep on doing that!".  I believe we will!

 





Savory Pear Pizza

Tonight I sliced the last of the 1/2 pound pears I received in a giveaway from USA Pears.  The recipe was on a card in the gift box.  I substituted Italian Sweet Turkey Sausage in place of the prosciutto. 

The crust is the Individual Pizza Crusts with Yogurt, a soft and easy to shape dough.  I made a pesto with ground pecans (I am out of walnuts!):

Pesto
(Serves 4-I'm using 1/2 in a recipe for our Sunday picnic)

1/4 cup ground Pecans
1 clove Garlic
1/2 cup Spring Mix and Herbs from my container garden
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Grind in mini food processor.  Sprinkle 1/4 over each of the pizza crusts.

Add
1 Italian Turkey Sausage, sliced and browned, then diced to place on the pizza
Finely shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/3 Sliced Pear
Sprinkle Mrs. Dash
Bake in 375 degree oven 15 minutes.

I chopped the remaining fresh cauliflower I bought at the Farmer's Market to heat for the side dish.  The recipe is from Eating Well.

Cauliflower with Lemon & Olives
1/2 Fresh Cauliflower, diced
1/2 tsp. Fresh Thyme
6 Kalamata Olives, diced
1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 mini Sweet Pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. Onion, diced
Toss together and heat.

While I was baking pizza, I added my turkey and potato for tomorrow's picnic to bake as well!

Farmer's Market: Meatballs

Every "First Saturday" of the month, I am conducting a culinary demo at the Morgantown Farmer's Market.  Today I prepared meatballs with Ground Beef from Working H Farms out of Terra Alta, WV.

The recipe is one I've made more years:

Cindy's Meatballs
1 lb. Ground Beef
1/4 cup Wheat Germ
1/3 cup Skim Milk
1 Egg
2 Tbsp. Onions, diced
1/4 tsp. Garlic Power
1/4 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp. Mrs. Dash

Shape into balls, approximately 2 Tbsp. each.  Bake at 375 degrees about 20 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

The Working H Farms Ground Beef was very lean.  I made 100 meatballs out of 7 lb. of their meat!

Customers of all ages sampled (and got some high quality protein very early on a Saturday morning)!

 

 

Hole in One

Friday afternoon is grocery day, followed by a simple dinner, then an outing with Bob to the local book store for coffee and magazines.  I'd planned to have Grilled Mozzarella Tomato Sandwiches with an olive pesto when I saw this recipe on Kitchen Daily by Mondo Fowler "I Bake He Shoots".  Like their introduction said, this was simple and satisfying!  Here's my take:

Pesto for 2:
1 Garlic Clove, diced
1/3 cup Spring Mix leaves
Chop in mini food processor. 

7 Grain Sandwiches
4 slices New Day Bakery 7 Grain Bread
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance Blend Butter Spread
Cut holes in center of bread slices with a small round cutter.  Butter outside of bread.
Place 2 slices buttered side down in non-stick pan.  Cover bread with pesto.  Add:

Sliced Swiss Cheese
Sliced Red Tomato
Cover with other slices of bread, buttered side up, making sure the "holes" match.  Break
Eggs into each hole.  Cover pan with lid and grill on medium high for 2 minutes.  Turn and grill on other side for 2 more minutes.

How's this for our take on "Donut Day"?

Curried Salmon over Masala Gobi

I am so fortunate that my employer sponsors a weekly Farmer's Market during the summer, and this is what I purchased yesterday!  I searched the internet for something to make with it and chose this recipe for Aloo Gobi from Food Network.  I skipped the potato (Aloo) so I could focus on my prize cauliflower (Gobi).

Masala Gobi
(Serves 2)

2 cloves Garlic
2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, peeled, diced
Pulse in mini food processor.  Add
1 tsp. Coriander
1/8 tsp. Turmeric  
2 Tbsp. water
"Masala" is the spice mix.

1 tsp. Olive Oil
1 diced mini Sweet Pepper
Heat in non-stick pan, then add
1/3 tsp. Cumin Seeds
Cook until they're done spluttering.

Add wet masala.  Cook unitil it thickens and deepens in color, about 2 minutes.

Add
1/4 head Cauliflower, cut into small florets   
Stir to coat caulifower, then add
1/3 cup water

Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, adding more water if needed.

Now, what to serve over the spicy cauliflower?

Curried Salmon with Tomatoes and Dried Plums
(Serves 2)

This is a favorite recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. 
1 Green Onion
2 Tbsp. Celery, diced
1 Garlic Clove, diced
1 tsp. Olive Oil
Cook in an oven proof skillet.  

I'm cleaning out my refrigerator, so I added
5 Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 Zucchini, sliced
and sauteed a little longer.

Then add:
1 cup Diced Tomatoes, canned without salt
2 Tbsp. Diced Prunes
1 tsp. Curry Powder
Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Add
1-4 oz. Salmon fillet, skinned, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

Place the pan in the toaster oven at 350 degrees and heat 15 minutes.

An awesome mix of flavors!