Greek Pasta Salad

This is my "go to" pasta salad that I love to make often for lunches at home, or take to family/friend get-togethers. It has such a delicious and light flavor! The fresh basil is really what gives the dressing such a fresh taste! It makes a large batch so you can cut the recipe in half if you like.

 Greek Pasta Salad

2 boxes of tricolor spiral pasta
1 large tomato, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
6 ounce container crumbled feta cheese
3/4 cup sliced black olives

Dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup FRESH basil
4 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 of a medium size onion, cut in chunks (or more depending how much you like onion)
4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 Cook the pasta according to the package directions, and drain. Place in a large serving or mixing bowl. Add the tomato, peppers, feta cheese, and olives. Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender, cover, and process until smooth. Pour over salad and toss well to coat. Add more salt if needed. Cover and chill in refrigerator. Toss before serving.

Double Chocolate Orange Torte

Mama Mia this is soooo good! This is a gluten free, no white sugar, no white flour dessert, and it is awesome! You must try it!

Double Chocolate Orange Torte

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, 1/2 cup almond flour/meal, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 3 eggs, beaten, 1/2 cup agave syrup, 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, 1 Tablespoon orange zest, 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips,

Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a mini food processor and grind till it's the texture of small gravel. Place in a medium size bowl, and add the almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. With a spoon mix in the beaten eggs, then whisk in the agave, grapeseed oil, and orange zest until smooth. Stir in the 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips. Transfer to a well oiled 10 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Falafel with Creamy Avacado Sauce

This is one of our favorite vegetarian dishes. The flavor is awesome! And it's loaded with nutrition!


Falafel with Creamy Avocado Sauce

For the Avocado Sauce:
1 large whole ripe avocado, mashed
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 to 2 tablespoons red onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of half a lime

For the Falafel:
1 (15ounce can) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg white
2 teaspoons olive oil
pita bread, cut in halves
chopped lettuce

To make the avocado sauce, combine the avocado, sour cream, red onion, cumin, salt, and lime and stir to completely combine. Keep in the refrigerator while making the falafel. Next add the beans to a bowl and mash. Add cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, onion, cumin, salt, and egg to the beans and stir to incorporate well. Shape the mixture into four or five even round patties about 1 inch thick. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook for about five minutes on each side or until they are a dark golden brown and cooked through. When they are finished, place a patty in each pita half and top with avocado sauce and lettuce. So delicious!

Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayonaise

This sandwich is a delicious and is like tasting summer itself! I am always looking for different things to make for lunch instead of the same old boring thing every day. And so I fell in love with this one! Between the tomato, basil, lemon, and garlic the flavor is absolutely delicious! And as a girl who grew up in New Jersey surrounded by delicious fresh jersey tomatoes every summer this was a winner with me! Hope you try it and enjoy it too!

Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayonaise

1 Cup mayonaise
10 to 15 basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves chopped
loaf of fresh baked bread, french or Italian or whatever you like, sliced
freshly sliced tomatoes

Mix together the mayonaise, basil, salt, pepper, lemon, olive oil, and garlic.
Spread over two slices of bread, and top with slices of tomato. You can put the two slices together and eat as a sandwich or eat individually. Now bite into a taste of deliciousness!
























































1 cup mayonaise (you can use light if you want or miracle whip, but nothing beats real mayonaise)
10 to 15 basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Well after taking a bit of a break from food blogging I am back at it again. We are very excited that number four is on the way, but with that comes the first trimester of constant yucky nausea! So as you can guess during that time I did not cook anything worth blogging about! But thankfully I am coming out of it and am starting to feel much better. So to celebrate tonight I cooked one of my favorites, cheesy chicken enchiladas. It's the best recipe I have come across for enchiladas with a white sauce, and anytime I serve them to friends or family they are a hit! They take a little bit of effort, but are definitely worth it!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

1 chopped onion
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
8 ounces sour cream
3 cups of chicken that has been cooked and shredded
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
10 flour tortillas

In a saucepan saute onion in the butter until tender. Stir in the flour for about 1 minute and then slowly add in the chicken broth and the bouillon. Cook and stir until bubbling and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. In a large bowl combine the chicken, 1 1/4 cup of the cooked sauce, 1 cup of cheese, chilies, chili powder, and a dash of salt. Mix well. Fill each tortilla with equal portions of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place in a greased 9x13 dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Healthy Chocolate Chip Brownies!

Ok, these are awesome! These brownies are gluten free, no white sugar, no white flour, and all the ingredients are healthy! The first time I baked these I forgot to tell my husband they had healthy ingredients until about his third one and he couldn't believe it! One of the main ingredients is almond butter, which is good for you, but definitely high in fat, so I don't recommend eating five in one sitting, although you will definitely be tempted too! :)

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) jar salted almond butter, smooth roasted
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups agave nectar syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth.
2. Blend in eggs.
3. Blend in the agave, and vanilla.
4. Blend in cocoa, salt, and baking soda, and then fold in chocolate chips.
5. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with oil. Pour batter into dish, and bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Quinoa and Black Beans

We thought this was a delicious vegan meal! Quinoa is such a delicious grain and is a great source of complete protein. Also any recipe involving black beans, cumin, and cilantro we LOVE! One of the sweet simple pleasures for me in this life is the aroma that comes from chopping up a big bunch of cilantro! Oh so heavenly! :)

Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir frozen corn and black beans into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes until heated through. Mix in the cilantro and serve.

Cheesy Spinach Dip

My niece brought this dip to a family get together a few years ago, and everyone LOVED it! It has been my favorite hot dip ever since! It is a great super bowl dip!

2- 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonaise
1 -10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dill weed
2 garlic cloves, chopped

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese till smooth. Add the mayonaise and beat again till blended. Stir in the spinach, cheddar cheese, bacon, onion, dill, and garlic. Put the dip in a glass baking bowl (like pyrex), cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 1 hour or till cooked through and edges are bubbling. Serve warm with vegetables, crackers, bread, or whatever your heart desires!

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

These Stuffed Shells taste so good and are loaded with vegetables!

Ingredients:
1 box large pasta shells
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms
8-12 ounce package baby leaf spinach
16 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 26 ounce can of your favorite spaghetti sauce
16 ounces shredded mozzarella

Cook the shells according to the directions on the box. Saute onions and garlic in the oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Wilt in the spinach. Set aside and let cool.
In a big bowl mix ricotta, egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add cooled veggie mixture and stir well. Next put a small amount of the spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 dish, just enough to coat the bottom. With a spoon stuff the shells with the veggie mixture. (you will have leftover shells. Just stuff as many as you can). Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the shells, and then sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Coca-Cola Fudge Cake

This is a really moist and delicious chocolate cake! You can't really taste the coca-cola, but I think it makes it extra moist and flavorful! This is chocolately heaven!

Coca-Cola Fudge Cake

For the cake:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup coca-cola
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
3/4 cups mini marshmallows
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup coca-cola
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl pour 1/2 cup buttermilk and then add 1 cup coca-cola. Set aside. In another small bowl combine the flour and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl beat two sticks of butter till creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until blended. To the butter mixture add 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Beat again until creamy. Next add the eggs and the cola/buttermilk mixture and beat again until smooth and creamy. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Finally fold in the marshmallows and the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan or 9x13 dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. When cake no longer wobbles when you gently shake it it is ready to come out of the oven. (if you bake it in a bundt pan it will take longer than a 9x13 dish). Let cool.
For the frosting, in a saucepan combine 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup coca-cola, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips, stirring constantly over medium heat until smooth. 1 cup at a time add the 3 cups of confectioners sugar stirring well between additions. Remove from heat when thick and saucy and stir in vanilla. Let the frosting cool some, and then pour over the cake. Yum!

Best BBQ'd Shredded Beef Sandwich

All you need to make a great BBQ sandwich.




I have made this recipe twice in the last month when we have had friends over for dinner. It worked out really great, because I love making meals that can be done ahead of time so that I am not too busy cooking when our friends arrive. We had it for Sunday lunch today which was great because I made it the day before and just had to reheat it when we got home from church. It goes great coleslaw on top.

BBQ Shredded Beef
3 pounds chuck roast
salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
1 bottle Kraft brand Sweet and Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1 can or bottle Beer
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's brand Honey BBQ Sauce

Wipe crock pot with a light coating of vegetable oil. Sprinkle the roast generously on both sides with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place roast in crock pot. Pour on the sweet and spicy chipotle sauce to cover completely. Pour beer over top and around the sides of the roast. Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours (you will know it is ready when you pick at it with and fork and it shreds very easily). Remove roast from pot and discard all liquids. Remove any fat and shred the beef and place back in the crock pot. Pour in the Sweet Baby Ray's and stir to coat the meat. Set on low for about 1 hour. Serve on sandwich rolls and top with coleslaw if desired.

Vegetarian Chorizo Pizza

This is my favorite vegetarian pizza! My awesome sister Donna gave me this recipe! My husband and I both agreed that you really can't tell that the chorizo is not sausage! So yummy!

Vegetarian Chorizo Pizza

Whole Wheat Pizza dough (I use Trader Joes)
1 cupish medium salsa (I like to use Costco's Kirkland salsa)
1 package tofu chorizo (I use Trader Joes)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1 cupish shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Take the chorizo out of the wrapping and heat in a skillet over medium high heat until browned. Roll out your pizza dough to a size that will fit your pizza pan. Spread on the salsa for your sauce. Next add the chorizo, red bell pepper, and olives on top of the salsa. Finally cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let sit for five minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Green Monster Smoothie

Ok, this is so awesome! I just tried this recipe for the first time this week, and it is a great way to get some extra green veggies in your day! It is loaded with spinach, but it tastes like a banana peanut butter milkshake! I am telling you you have to try it! It only takes a couple minutes to make, and if you have kids they will drink it as fast as they can for fear that you will realize you are giving them a dessert! :)

Green Monster

1 banana that has been sliced and frozen
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1 cup vanilla almond milk
4 cups baby spinach

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy! :)

2 Bean Tostadas

This is a delicious and very filling vegetarian meal!

2 Bean Tostadas

1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 corn tortillas
1 (16oz.) can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (15oz.) can black beans
3/4 cup fresh, frozen, or canned corn
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 whole jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 avocado, sliced into small pieces
cilantro for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add about 1 tablespoon oil to a large skillet on medium high heat. Spread the refried beans and half of the cheddar cheese on 4 tortillas in equal amounts. Place another tortilla on top. Fry each tortilla sandwich in the hot oil for about 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until nice and golden brown, and then place on a baking sheet.
Top tortillas with the black beans, remaining cheese, corn, red onion, and jalapeno (if desired).
Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.
After they come out of the oven top each tostado with the tomato, green onion, avocado, and cilantro. Enjoy!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

This is such a great and EASY dessert to make for company or anytime! It has a gooey cream cheese center and a crunchy melt in your mouth cinnamon sugar top! It goes great with Mexican food (or any food really)! :)

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans regular crescent rolls
2 packages regular cream cheese, softened (8 oz. package)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 Tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup cinnamon/sugar mixture

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. Roll out one can of crescent rolls to cover the bottom of the pan. Beat together softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread over the crescent rolls. Lay second can of rolls over the cream cheese mixture. Melt butter and brush over the top, and then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.