Favorite Roasted Vegetables!!!

I went to make these roasted veggies again this week and realized I have never posted the recipe here...which is crazy because I make these all the time! I don't even remember where I initially found the recipe, but it was part of a complete meal and the veggies were what spoke to me so I make them as a side often now.

My favorite combo for the veggies is 2 zucchini, 1 russet potato, 1 red bell pepper and 1 red onion (or at least 1/2 of one).

We typically serve it with pork loin but they are good with any type meat or even by themselves!

photo found online

RECIPE:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together:

1 t salt

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t basil

1/4 t thyme

1/2 t sugar

some pepper

2 cloves garlic

2 T olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

Chop up your veggies of choice and mix with marinade until well coated.

Spread on a lined baking sheet and bake 20 minutes.

Stir around the veggies and bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

We were having company so I decided to make some yummy rice to go along with our usual sides for the steak fajitas we are currently obsessed with. My kids don't love rice, but I do, so I don't make it that often because I end up eating literally the entire batch haha! But even the kids liked this new version! I was pretty impressed with how legit it tasted I must admit. Maybe a tad too much tomato taste, but really on the whole it was quite authentic. I found the recipe, and the first picture, on Fabulously Delicious and we will definitely make it whenever we are having people over for a Mexican-type meal!

Ingredients
1 cup white rice
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced and seeds reserved
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 bouillon cube (I use vegetable but chicken is fine, too), chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch black pepper

Directions
Heat up olive oil in a pan on medium/high. Add in rice and bell pepper seeds. Stir frequently and cook until rice starts to lightly brown; about 5 minutes.
Add in tomato sauce, and 2 cans of water. Stir. Add in salt, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper and chopped bullion cube. Stir. Add in bell pepper slices. Bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 40 minutes (mine only took 30 minutes). Remove bell pepper slices prior to serving.

Texas Sweet Onion Casserole

The moment I saw this on Homesick Texan I was dying to try it! Luckily I had an excuse to make a big, yummy dish like this and went on a search to find something else to go with it. I settled on trying a Santa Fe Spice Rub (recipe to come) and grilled chicken. We made tacos out of the chicken and some sauteed peppers, along with guacamole and then had this cheesy, delicious rice on the side. It was a heavenly meal!!!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large Texas sweet 1015 onions, peeled and chopped (about 2 pounds)
3 cups cooked rice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of cayenne
2 cloves garlic
1 or 2 chipotle chiles en adobo, diced (depending on how hot you want it)
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded Gruyere (8 ounces), divided
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, on low heat melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and while occasionally stirring cook for 10 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, stir together the cooked rice, cumin, allspice, cayenne, garlic, chipotle chile, sour cream and 1/2 cup of the Gruyere cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings, then add salt to taste. Add rice mixture to the skillet and stir until onions are mixed well with the rice. (Alternatively, you can bake the casserole in a greased 10-inch baking pan.) Top with the rest of the Gruyere cheese and bake for 30 minutes uncovered or until brown and bubbling. Serve topped with cilantro, if you like.
(I put into 2 8x8 glass dished to bake)

The Best Baked Beans

Once we decided to go with a BBQ-style meal for Preston's family party, I knew most of the sides I wanted to serve. My go-to potato salad, my new favorite quinoa salad with roasted corn and avocado (if you haven't tried this yet, you must! I made it for book club and everyone went on and on about it), potato chips and white bread. But I needed some super yummy baked beans to complete the perfect brisket meal. Of course my first stop was The Pioneer Woman and she just happened to have a recipe for what she called the best baked beans ever...so I believed her without even tasting them, and as usual she was right! I was able to mix it all up the night before and then just bake them before the party which is just what I prefer for my party fare. They were a big hit!

recipe originally by Pam Anderson
Serves up to 18 (seriously! It makes TONS!)
Ingredients:
8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans
3/4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Directions:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients). Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Grilled Potato Spears

We made these to go with our yummy kebabs and they were a perfect combination! I wrote down what I did, but obviously there is a lot of variation to be had with them.

I just know I LOVED them :-)!

Ingredients:
3 potatoes
1 T olive oil
Pappy's seasoning (or any other general seasoning of your choice)

Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into wedges.
Toss with olive oil and seasoning.
Grill...just keep an eye on them and turn as needed. (I like mine pretty dark)

Per my rough calculations: 100 calories/3 wedges

Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with chipotle-lemon aioli

Truth be told, I have been quite curious about brussels sprouts for awhile now. I had NEVER had them! They look like the type of thing I would like now, with my matured taste buds :-), but I couldn't get past hearing my whole life on TV and from others about gross brussels sprouts are. Then I saw this recipe in my last Clean Eating magazine and they looked absolutely delicious! I knew this was the recipe to get my first taste of them. My husband and I both loved them...especially with the spicy dipping sauce. The kids weren't as big of fans, but I'm going to keep trying. We paired them with Baked Salmon and a Mediterranean Quinoa mix and it was an absolutely perfect dinner!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts
- 2 T fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 slice whole-wheat bread (about 1 oz), torn in pieces (I used gluten-free bread crumbs)
- 2 tsp lemon zest, divided
- 1 T minced garlic
- 1/4 c low-fat olive oil mayo
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, 1/4 tsp adobo sauce reserved

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and prepare as shown (they had picture instructions which were helpful for me, but basically you peel off outer leaves, cut stems close to bottom leaves, cut in half and make a little cut in the stem to help it cook evenly). Transfer sprouts to a large bowl and drizzle with 1 T lemon juice and oil; set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse bread into fine crumbs. Sprinkle bread crumbs, 1 tsp lemon zest and garlic over top of sprouts and toss until lightly coated.
- Spread sprouts-crumb mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven for 10 minutes; remove turn sprouts around and bake until tender, 7-10 more minutes.
-Meanwhile, prepare aioli: In small bowl, combine mayo, remaining 1 T lemon juice, remaining 1 tsp lemon zest, chipotle chile and reserved adobo sauce; mix well.


Serving size: 1 cup Brussels sprouts and 1 T aioli * Calories: 160 * Total Fat: 9g * Sat. Fat: 1g * Monounsat Fat: 4g * Polyunsat Fat: 3g * Carbs: 15g * Fiber: 5g * Sugars: 3g * Protein: 5g * Sodium: 211mg * Cholesterol: 5mg

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

This is the other side I chose for our holiday dinner from Gina's Skinny Taste. I have decided that pretty much anything roasted is going to be delicious :-), and these were too! Much, much better than the typical green bean casserole in my book, but I've never really liked it to be anyway (shhh).

Ingredients:
12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)
2 tsp olive oil
kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp shredded parmesan

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up.
Lay green beans out on the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them.
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to evenly coat.
Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat and place on the lower third section of your oven.
Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn; bake 5 additional minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Skinny Scalloped Gratin Potatoes

Since we have all our big holiday meals at this time of year with extended family, I decided to do our own mini-Christmas dinner last week. I didn't have a lot of time, so I wanted to keep it simple and I wanted the sides to be fairly light since they are my favorite part of any meal and I knew I would be the one eating all the leftovers :-). I found 2 great sides, both on Gina's Skinny Taste. This first one was amazingly delicious! You would never know it was made with such light ingredients! I like the top of my gratin potatoes very golden, but make them your way!

Ingredients:
olive oil spray
6 medium peeled yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch-thick
2 tbsp light butter, melted
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 oz (3/4 cup) shredded reduced fat Cheddar (I used about 1 1/4 cups, mostly 2%, but with a little FF and regular mixed in as well)
1 cup fat free milk
1 bay leaf
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp thyme

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, butter, salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper.
Arrange half of the potato slices in the baking dish; top with 1/4 cup cheese. Add the remaining potatoes.
In a small saucepan, bring milk, thyme, bay leaf and nutmeg to a boil; pour over potatoes.
Top with remaining cheese and bake uncovered, for 45 - 50 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Greek-Style Pork Chops

Not the best pictures (I'm ready for another time change so it doesn't get dark so early!), but it actually looked much better in person and it was really delicious!
This recipe came from Cooking Light is super low in calories, yet still full of flavor! The kids LOVED the pork and I LOVED the cucumber salad. We had leftover tzatziki sauce and just used that...perfect!

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
* 3/4 cup plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes (about 2 medium)
* 1 cup diced seeded cucumber
* 1/2 cup diced red onion
* Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Combine 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, oregano, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and garlic in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag, and seal. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature, turning after 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon oil, yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 1/8 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Cover and chill. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Sprinkle tomato mixture with 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to combine.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Remove pork from bag, and discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of pork evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add pork to pan, and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan, and let stand for 2 minutes. Place 3/4 cup tomato mixture on each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 1 pork chop and about 3 tablespoons yogurt mixture.

Sourdough Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

This is the stuffing my mom brought to our Thanksgiving dinner and everyone loved it. I didn't personally get to try it, but Mike commented to me about really liking it and if it was good enough for him to do that, then it was GOOD! She found the recipe on Picky Palate and said the only change she would make is to use a little less bread the next time around.

Ingredients:
1 lb Sourdough Loaf, cubed
12 oz baked cornbread, cubed
14 Tablespoons butter (1  3/4 sticks)
1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 Cups)
1 bunch of celery, chopped (about 3 Cups)
3 large carrots, chopped (about 2 Cups)
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped (about 1 1/4 Cups)
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
1/2 Cup fresh chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme (or 1 T fresh)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 lb Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.   Place cubed sourdough and cornbread onto a large jellyroll baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven.
2.  Melt butter into a large dutch oven or large rimmed skillet over medium heat.  Saute onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until veggies turn tender.  Stir in garlic and cook for another minute then pour in chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, sage,  thyme, salt and pepper.  Stir and reduce heat to low to simmer.
3.  Brown sausage in skillet, drain if necessary then add to vegetable mixture.  Place bread cubes into a large bowl and slowly pour mixture over cubes gently stirring throughout to ensure all pieces get coated.  Taste a couple pieces and season with additional salt and pepper according to taste.  I added a few more pinches of kosher salt and pepper at this point.
4.  Divide stuffing into a 9×13 inch baking dish and a 11×7 inch baking dish.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just golden brown on top.  Should still be nice and moist.  Remove from oven and serve!
12 servings, each dish

Creamed Bean Casserole

This is a dish my Grandma makes for our special occasion dinners and I always LOVE it! In fact I love it so much I have avoided getting the recipe because I knew I didn't want to know what was in it to make it so delicious :-)...and I was right. Sometimes we have to live a little though and holidays are definitely the right time, so make this to go with your Christmas dinner and you won't regret it!

Ingredients & Directions:

1 small bag frozen baby peas
1 bag frozen cut green beans
2 bags frozen baby lima beans
*Cook, DRAIN, salt and pepper

8 oz whipping cream
8 oz mayonnaise
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese
*Whip the cream and then fold in mayo and cheese.

Mix the beans and the creamy mixture together and place in an 8x8 dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Zucchini Risotto

This was another recipe I found on Delicious Dishes. It is such a bummer when recipe sites you like stop posting, but at least you can always go back through the old ones! This was really yummy and could easily be a main course meal. I served it with some chicken just because I knew it wouldn't work as a meal for my family, but I would have been fine without anything else. I love zucchini and I love risotto so it was a great combination for me!

Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic salt
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
In heavy saucepan, saute rice in butter stirring constantly.
Add onion, red pepper, and garlic salt. Saute until onions and peppers are tender.
Add 1 cup chicken stock, stirring frequently.
As the liquid cooks down, continue adding 1/2 cup stock at a time until all the stock is used and the mixture is creamy. Keep stirring!
Add zucchini.
Stir in milk.
Fold in cheese.
Top with fresh ground pepper.
Serve immediately.

3 Recipes: Grilled Beef Skewers, Sun-Dried Tomato Relish, and Summer Squash and Chive Pancakes

When I saw this yummy dinner on The Daily Dish, I instantly knew I wanted to try it! I love all kebabs and the squash and chive pancakes sounded awesome! The pancakes were our favorite part of the dinner and we'll definitely make them as sides for other dishes in the future. The beef had an awesome flavor (even though I only marinated it for 2 hours) and it was a perfect combo with the relish. The relish was my least favorite part of the meal, I think I'm just not used to the strong flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes, but I did love the way the 3 things complimented each other. Plus, it all looked so fancy together which is always fun :-)!

Summer Squash & Chive Pancakes

Ingredients:
- Canola oil spray
- 2 cups of cooked yellow squash, crushed (from about 3 1/2 yellow squash)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp of fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- A pinch of ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Place the squash in a large pot. Fill with water making sure to cover the squash completely.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and cover, cooking until soft.
3. Once soft, drain and set to the side to cool for a few minutes while you chop the rest of your ingredients.
4. After the squash has cooled down a bit, add them to a food processor and pulse until crushed.
5. Place the squash in a large mixing bowl with the egg, egg white, flour, baking powder, garlic, Parmesan cheese, chives, salt, and pepper, and mix until smooth.
6. Spray the bottom of a large griddle pan with canola oil and place the burner on medium heat.
7. Take 1/4 cup of the batter (per 1 pancake) and drop it onto the griddle. Use the book of a spoon to slightly flatten them and cook for a few minutes until golden brown on the bottom side.
8. Once the bottom has cooked, flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown.
9. Set the finished pancakes aside on a platter and repeat with the remaining batter until all 12 pancakes are made. Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Beef Skewers

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of beef of choice, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- Skewers (I use metal)

Directions:
1. In a resealable bag or glass container, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt & pepper with the beef. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours.
2. Once the beef is done marinating and you are ready to begin cooking, place a grill pan on medium-high heat (or preheat your gas or charcoal grill).
3. Remove the meat from the marinade and begin placing the cubes on a skewer
4. When the skewers all set, place on the grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side.
5. Arrange the skewers on a plate and serve along side the relish below.

Sun-Dried Tomato Relish

Ingredients:
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup of oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of frozen (thawed) corn (or 1 ear of corn kernels removed if you are using fresh)
- 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (I omitted because the tomatoes were already plenty oily)
- 1/2 of an avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/4 cup of feta cheese crumbles
- Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a small to medium-sized bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes, corn, and olive oil.
2. If you are prepping this in advance, refrigerate these ingredients until ready to serve.
3. Just before serving add the avocado and feta cheese before mixing all of the ingredients together. Add the ground black pepper to taste.
4. Serve the relish alongside the beef skewers, and enjoy!

Pioneer Woman's Spicy Beans

This recipe came up on The Pioneer Woman Cooks while I was planning Ella's Mexican-inspired birthday dinner, so they were a perfect fit! They were great for a party because I could prepare them the day before and they were also delicious, which is a must. I was slightly traumatized when I had to buy a ham hock, but I think I'll get over it eventually...maybe after eating some more yummy beans :-).

Ingredients:
* 4 cups Dry Pinto Beans
* 1 whole Ham Hock
* 1 whole Onion, Diced
* 2 whole Red Bell Peppers, Diced
* 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 2 whole Jalapenos, Sliced
* 2 teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
* 2 teaspoons Chili Powder (optional)
* 2 teaspoons Black Pepper, More To Taste

Directions:
Rinse beans under cold water, sorting out any rocks/particles.
Place beans in a stock pot with the ham hock and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the water level is fine. Add more water as needed (I had plenty).
Then throw in diced onion, red bell pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Cover and continue cooking for another hour or two, remembering to check the water level.
Add salt, chili powder and pepper, then cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until beans are lovely and tender. Serve with cornbread as a meal, or spoon on top of nachos, tacos, etc.

Roasted Rosemary Veggies

This is the last of the recipes from my Oregon trip with my old college roommates...kind of sad! Kim paired these delicious roasted veggies with her baked salmon and it was perfect. I love anything roasted, and especially loved the rosemary!
I guess I better get cooking again so I have something else to post :-)!

recipe from Kim
Ingredients/Directions:
Peel and dice as much butternut squash and potatoes as you like. Toss them in olive oil, garlic salt (or garlic powder and regular salt), pepper and rosemary. Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes (or until tender).

Bean Salad

This is the first of the recipes from my Oregon beach house trip. I got to spend the weekend with my roommates from college and we took turns with the meals while there. Although everything was absolutely delicious, I think this may have been my favorite...I couldn't stop eating it! I loved everything about it - the pretty colors, the crunchy peppers, the creamy cheese and avocado, the tang from the limes, etc. This is perfect to share for lunch and filling enough to be dinner too. We ate it with tortilla chips, but you can serve it over rice, in tacos or quesadillas, or whatever your heart desires.

recipe from Liz
(originally from Lisa Phillips)
Ingredients:
Salad:
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can olives, sliced
1 can, or 2 cups frozen, corn
1 yellow, orange, and red pepper chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2-3 avocados, leave pit in salad (it's supposed to prevent it from browning)
1/2 cup - 1 cup feta cheese
pine nuts (optional, we didn't have)
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
4 limes, squeezed
1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs salt

Directions:
Mix the salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix the dressing and pour over salad. Mix gently and enjoy! (If you want to prepare ahead of time, just leave out the avocados and feta and mix those in with the dressing at the end)

I also had to include this pictures because Sara had arranged the sand dollars so nicely around the bowl :-). We were in full sunlight outside so the pics didn't turn out great.

Fresh Corn Salad

I had already planned out the menu for Mike's birthday dinner when this salad was posted on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It looked so yummy and fresh I couldn't resist and decided to add it last minute to our dinner plan. I even went back to the store for the ingredients. I'm so glad I did! This was the perfect side for a summer BBQ...or any summer meal. It is full of fresh flavors and light and crunchy and pretty much perfect. Everyone who tried it looooved it, and I used the leftovers in a quesadilla the next day and it was equally heavenly!

Ingredients:
6 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add one tablespoon sugar and one tablespoon vinegar. Add the cobs of corn to the pot of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot, remove from the heat and let the corn sit for 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.

Toss the kernels in a medium bowl with the red onions, tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Greek Orzo (or Brown Rice)

This salad from Taste Buds was SOOO delicious and a perfect lunch to make and have on hand during the week. I used brown rice instead of the orzo to keep it gluten-free and also threw in some chicken to add a little protein and help feel me up. I LOVE it and can't wait to go eat more today!!!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked orzo (or 3/4 cup brown rice)
1/2 cup diced cucumber; seeds removed
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup fresh minced parsley
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (I used reduced fat)
1/4 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata (or black) olives (I left these out)

Directions:
Cook orzo according to package. Drain. Combine orzo, cucumber and onion in a large bowl; toss well. In a separate bowl combine parsley, lemon juice, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well with a whisk until incorporated. Pour over orzo and add remaining ingredients. Toss gently to coat. Serve with grilled pita bread (brush with olive oil, sprinkle on a little kosher salt and warm through on grill.)

Crash Hot Potatoes

We were planning on having ham last night, since I had a coupon that expired this week, and I had a vague memory of seeing these potatoes somewhere. It took a little bit of searching, but I should have known something so delicious would be found from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I L-O-V-E potatoes, especially crispy potatoes and these were awesome! Since you boil them first, you don't have to worry about them not being all the way done and they get deliciously crispy. YUM!

Ingredients:
* 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes) (I used red)
* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* Kosher Salt To Taste
* Black Pepper To Taste
* Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste (I made these last minute, so just used salt and pepper)

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.)
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Mexican Sour Cream Rice

I found this rice recipe on Cassie Craves and it was super flavorful! I even halved the amount of sour cream and cheese, trying to lighten it up a little bit, and we still loved it!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 cup)
1 4-ounce can diced green chile peppers
2 cups shredded pepper-jack cheese, divided (I used 1 cup, divided)
1 cups frozen whole kernel corn
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes (because I used Minute Rice, I decreased the simmering time to about 10 minutes).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish.
3. In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1 cup cheese, corn, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.
4. Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.