I combined two recipes to make this dish.  I loved the marinade I used for the Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Sauce and I loved the caprese salad that I made for the Caprese Bruschetta.  I decided to marinate some chicken breasts in the garlic and basil marinade for 24 hours.  I then tossed together the caprese salad and served it on top of the pan-grilled chicken.  It was light, filling, and so delicious!  My husband and I loved it and so did my girlfriend who was over for dinner.  The marinade gave the chicken great flavor and I loved the tangy tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella on top!   This was a wonderful dish for the upcoming summer and a great recipe to serve to guests.  I served this chicken with my House Salad and Baby Artichokes Stuffed with Panko, Parmesan, and Garlic.

Combine the olive oil, basil, and garlic together in a large zip lock bag.  Add the trimmed chicken breasts and squish them around to evenly coat them.  Seal and place in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.

Prepare the caprese salad about 20 minutes prior to grilling the chicken.  Combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt and freshy cracked pepper to taste together in a bowl.  Toss until evenly combined.  Chop and add the basil right before serving so it stays a vivid green.  Side note:  I liked using equal amounts of vinegar/oil in this recipe because I love the tang it gives to the salad; use less vinegar if you  don’t want it too tangy.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat; coat with cooking spray.  Lightly season the chicken with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Once the pan is hot add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.  Flip the chicken over and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through and the juices are running clear.  Remove from the pan and let the meat rest for a few minutes.  Place the chicken on a serving plate.  Add the basil to the caprese salad and toss then spoon it over the center of the chicken breasts.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Garlic Basil Chicken topped with Caprese Salad

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 24 hours of marinating

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 min. + Marinating time

Ingredients:

Marinade:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Caprese Salad:

1 cup of yellow and red grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 cup of mozzarella, diced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine the olive oil, basil, and garlic together in a large zip lock bag. Add the trimmed chicken breasts and squish them around to evenly coat them. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.

Prepare the caprese salad about 20 minutes prior to grilling the chicken. Combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, sea salt and freshy cracked pepper to taste together in a bowl. Toss until evenly combined. Chop and add the basil right before serving so it stays a vivid green. Side note: I liked using equal amounts of vinegar/oil in this recipe because I love the tang it gives to the salad; use less vinegar if you don't want it too tangy.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat; coat with cooking spray. Lightly season the chicken with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Once the pan is hot add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the chicken over and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken has cooked through and the juices are running clear. Remove from the pan and let the meat rest for a few minutes. Place the chicken on a serving plate. Add the basil to the caprese salad and toss then spoon it over the center of the chicken breasts. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

I adapted a recipe I found on the blog Snails View that looked really delicious.  It was a fairly easy side dish to prepare, which was nice because I thought it would be much harder.  After peeling off the thicker outer leaves and slicing them in half, I steamed them for a few minutes until fork tender.  I then mixed together the panko, Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, and olive oil then spo0ned it on top of the artichokes.  I baked them for 15 minutes before serving.  They were  flavorful and delicious.  The stuffed baby artichokes paired really nicely with my House Salad and the chicken (it will post tomorrow) I served.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.

Add a bunch of water to a large bowl then squeeze half the lemon juice into the water.  Take each artichoke and peel off the heavy thick outer leaves until you are left with the really thin greenish yellow leaves; trim about 1/2 inch off of the top of the artichoke; trim the stem and any thick remainder of the bottom leaves that remain on the stem.   Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise.  Remove the hair from the heart of the choke on both halves.  Place into the bowl of lemon water.  Repeat process with the remaining artichokes.

Place the artichokes in a large steamer.  Steam for 3-5 minutes or until fork tender.

Meanwhile, combine the panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a bowl.  Mix until well combined.

Remove the artichokes from the steamer and place into the small baking pan cut side up and close together.  Spoon the panko mixture on top of each artichoke half then coat with cooking spray.

Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until tender and golden brown.  Serve immediately!  Enjoy.

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Baby Artichokes Stuffed with Panko, Parmesan, and Garlic

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 18-20 min.

Total Time: 28-30 min.

Ingredients:

4 baby artichokes
Juice & zest from 1/2
1/2 cup of Italian seasoned panko crumbs
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tsp olive oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.

Add a bunch of water to a large bowl then squeeze half the lemon juice into the water. Take each artichoke and peel off the heavy thick outer leaves until you are left with the really thin greenish yellow leaves; trim about 1/2 inch off of the top of the artichoke; trim the stem and any thick remainder of the bottom leaves that remain on the stem. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. Remove the hair from the heart of the choke on both halves. Place into the bowl of lemon water. Repeat process with the remaining artichokes.

Place the artichokes in a large steamer. Steam for 3-5 minutes or until fork tender.

Meanwhile, combine the panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, lemon zest, olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

Remove the artichokes from the steamer and place into the small baking pan cut side up and close together. Spoon the panko mixture on top of each artichoke half then coat with cooking spray.

Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Serve immediately! Enjoy.

Adapted recipe by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Snails View

I was recently chosen as a winner of a cookbook & brownie mix giveaway on Vanilla Sugar.  It was really cool to win this wonderful giveaway because Vanilla Sugar is one of my favorite blogs.  Dawn is seriously talented in the kitchen and creates the most amazing food with awesome combinations of flavors and textures.  Be sure to check our her site!  Anyway, I received a box of brownies (that I can’t wait to make) and two cookbooks, Baked & Baked Explorations both by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.  Let me just tell you, these cookbooks are the best baking cookbooks I’ve ever seen.  Literally every recipe is drool worthy.  Thanks for the wonderful giveaway Dawn!  xoxo

I wanted to try something from the cookbook Baked first.  I chose a recipe that would be fairly simple to make and would use ingredients that I had on hand.  I thought the vanilla bean caramel dipped apples would be a perfect after school treat for my little ones!  I have never made caramel before so I was a bit nervous.  It smelled so amazing while it was cooking that  I was almost swooning.  Seriously.  Anyway, I followed the instructions but I think my candy thermometer must not work well or it could be the fact that I had no idea what I was doing, regardless, the caramel turned out so delicious but it didn’t “set”.  When I dipped the apples into the caramel, it basically just slid right off.  It was much too thin to coat the apples.  I didn’t know what I should do since I have no idea what “set” caramel should look like.  Before I threw everything away in frustration, I tasted the vanilla bean caramel.  Words can’t express how amazing this stuff tastes!  I could NOT throw away something that was so scrumptious!  I decided to slice up the apples and serve the caramel on the side as a dip.  My kids were THRILLED with this after school snack.  They didn’t care that the apples weren’t on a stick and they both kept saying (and moaning) that it was so delicious.   I can’t wait to try making this again in hopes that I will actually do it correctly next time.  Does anyone have suggestions on how to tell if the caramel is ready for dipping apples into it?

If you make dipped apples, remove the stems of the cleaned apples, then set them on a parchment lined baking sheet a few inches apart.  Insert a skewer about three quarters of the way through each apple.  If you want apple slices, clean the apples but wait to cut them into slices until right before serving.

Put the cream in a small heavy pot.  Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and using the tip of the knife, scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the cream.  Add the vanilla bean to the cream as well.  Simmer the cream over a very low temperature for 10 minutes.  Do not let the mixture boil.  Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a very fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the vanilla bean and any loose fibers.

Place the vanilla cream back into the pot, then add the sugar, corn syrup, and butter making sure that the mixture doesn’t splash up onto the sides of the pot.  Place the pot over very low heat and stir gently until the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium high heat and clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot.  Heat the caramel mixture, without stirring, to 245 degrees F.

Meanwhile, put a few handfuls of ice into a large bowl, big enough to fit the pot you are cooking the caramel in.

When the caramel mixture reaches 245 degrees F. (and stays there for at least 1 minute), remove from the heat and place the pot on top of the ice for 30 seconds to slow the cooking. Remove the pan from the ice.

If your caramel is cooked correctly and is setting, tilt the pot toward you to create a big pool of caramel.  Immediately begin dipping the apples into the caramel.  Dip each apple only once, and don’t worry about coating it evenly or completely.  Return the caramel-dipped apples back to the baking sheet and refrigerate until the caramel is set, about 10 minutes.

Side Note: If your caramel has not set properly, your apples will look like the below apples do.  Still tasty, just not a good dipped apple.

If  you want to use the caramel as a dip then slice the apple into wedges and serve the warm caramel as a dipping sauce.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Vanilla Bean Caramel Dip with Sliced Apples

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

Total Time: 25-30 min.

Ingredients:

4 skewers (optional)
4 small gala apples, cleaned & stems removed
1 cup of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of light corn syrup
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

If you make dipped apples, remove the stems of the cleaned apples, then set them on a parchment lined baking sheet a few inches apart. Insert a skewer about three quarters of the way through each apple. If you want apple slices, clean the apples but wait to cut them into slices until right before serving.

Put the cream in a small heavy pot. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and using the tip of the knife, scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into the cream. Add the vanilla bean to the cream as well. Simmer the cream over a very low temperature for 10 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a very fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the vanilla bean and any loose fibers.
Place the vanilla cream back into the pot, then add the sugar, corn syrup, and butter making sure that the mixture doesn't splash up onto the sides of the pot. Place the pot over very low heat and stir gently until the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium high heat and clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot. Heat the caramel mixture, without stirring, to 245 degrees F.

Meanwhile, put a few handfuls of ice into a large bowl, big enough to fit the pot you are cooking the caramel in.

When the caramel mixture reaches 245 degrees F. (and stays there for at least 1 minute), remove from the heat and place the pot on top of the ice for 30 seconds to slow the cooking. Remove the pan from the ice.

If your caramel is cooked correctly and is setting, tilt the pot toward you to create a big pool of caramel. Immediately begin dipping the apples into the caramel. Dip each apple only once, and don't worry about coating it evenly or completely. Return the caramel-dipped apples back to the baking sheet and refrigerate until the caramel is set, about 10 minutes.

If you don't want to dip apple slices instead just slice them into wedges and serve the warm caramel as a dipping sauce. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Adapted recipe by For the Love of Cooking
Original recipe from Baked New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

My kids seem to love shrimp lately so I decided to make another dish using them.  I marinated the shrimp in olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil for a few hours while I simmered a simple and spicy basil marinara.  I served the sauce over whole wheat penned then topped the dish with pan grilled shrimp.  I really loved this dish.  The shrimp were very  flavorful and perfectly cooked. The sauce wasn’t so spicy that the kids couldn’t eat it but had just enough kick to it.   We all, especially my son, loved this dish.

Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed.  Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined.  Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated.  Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat.   Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.   Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender.  Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture.  Add sugar, sea salt,  and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Cover with a lid, reduce to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally.   Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed.  Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined.  Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.

About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.

Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Garlic Basil Shrimp with Penne in a Spicy Basil Marinara

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 3-4 hours

Total Time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1 lb of shrimp
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp of fresh basil, finely chopped

Spicy Basil Marinara:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, more if desired
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, pureed
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
2-3 tsp sugar, optional
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp if needed. Place them in a large zip lock bag. Combine the olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, finely minced garlic, and finely chopped basil together until well combined. Pour over the shrimp then seal the bag and shake and gently squish the bag until the shrimp are evenly coated. Place into the refrigerator and let the shrimp marinate for 3-4 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, dried basil, and crushed red pepper flakes then cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Puree the can of whole tomatoes with an immersion blender. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed whole tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture. Add sugar, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover with a lid, reduce to low, and simmer for 3-4 hours if possible, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce has simmered and you are ready to serve it, taste and re-season if needed. Add the fresh basil and mix until evenly combined. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water per instructions. Drain.

About 5 minutes before the pasta has finished cooking; heat a large grill pan that has been coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once the pan is HOT add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes then flip them and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
Dish up the cooked pasta into a serving bowl then top with spicy basil marinara and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil then serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

My kids wanted donuts so I decided to bake some.  I found a delicious looking recipe at Taste and Tell that look perfect.  They were really simple to make, smelled amazing while they baked, and tasted even better.  The kids absolutely loved them and each gobbled up two.  My husband thought they were delicious and I tried a small bite and thought they were fantastic too… it took all of my willpower not to eat more! I will be making these again – soon!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a donut pan with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves together until well combined.

In another large bowl, cream together with a mixer, the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin. Add in the milk, eggs, and vanilla then mix well. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Place the mixture into a large zip lock bag. Cut off the corner and pipe evenly into the donut pan.

Place into the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pan from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, maple extract, cinnamon, maple syrup (optional), and milk together until well combined.

Place some wax paper under the wire rack. Dip the top of the cooled donuts in the glaze then return to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set. Enjoy.

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Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

Yield: 6 large donuts

Prep Time: 15 min.

Cook Time: 13-15 min.

Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

2 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of pumpkin puree
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/4 cup of butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Maple-Cinnamon Glaze:

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp maple extract
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp maple syrup (optional)
2 tbsp milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a donut pan with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves together until well combined.

In another large bowl, cream together with a mixer, the brown sugar, butter, and pumpkin. Add in the milk, eggs, and vanilla then mix well. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Place the mixture into a large zip lock bag. Cut off the corner and pipe evenly into the donut pan.

Place into the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pan from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, maple extract, cinnamon, maple syrup (optional), and milk together until well combined.

Place some wax paper under the wire rack. Dip the top of the cooled donuts in the glaze then return to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set. Enjoy.

Seriously, words can’t describe how much I loved this dish.  I wanted something tasty for lunch so I went looking through the refrigerator to see what I had.  I found a bunch of leftover taco fixings that needed to be used up but I was craving a poached egg so I decided to combine the two.  I am telling you – it was AWESOME!  If you love Mexican food and eggs – try this dish.  If you don’t feel like making the ground beef / black bean mixture, I am sure plain black beans or refried beans would be just as tasty.  I know what I’ll be making the next time we have taco leftovers.

Prepare the ground beef and black bean mixture – click this link for the recipe.

Heat the olive oil a skillet over medium heat.   Add the tortilla and cook on both sides until cripsy and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes.  Place on a paper towel to drain.

Add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat a poaching cup (or custard cup) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the egg into the cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Layer the crisp tortilla with the beef and bean mixture, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, olives, and green onions.  Place the poached egg on top then add a few more green onions and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Serve immediately with salsa and guacamole.  Enjoy.

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Yield: 1

Prep Time: 10 min.

Cook Time: 5 min. + 10 min. for meat

Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 corn tortilla
Leftover ground beef & bean mixture (recipe link above)
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Grape tomatoes, sliced
Green onions, sliced
Black olives, sliced
1 egg
Salsa
Guacamole

Directions:

Prepare the ground beef and black bean mixture. See link above for the recipe.

Heat the olive oil a skillet over medium heat. Add the tortilla and cook on both sides until cripsy and golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Place on a paper towel to drain.

Add water to a pan, filling it two thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Coat a poaching cup (or custard cup) with cooking spray then place in the water. Break the egg into the cup then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the whites are firm but the yolk is soft.

Layer the crisp tortilla with the beef and bean mixture, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, olives, and green onions. Place the poached egg on top then add a few more green onions and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve immediately with salsa and guacamole. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

I had a bit of fresh mozzarella and a small amount of leftover baguette that needed to get used up so I decided to make caprese bruschetta.  I tossed the tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese together with some garlic, salt & pepper, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar.  I placed spoonfuls of the tomato mixture on top of toasted baguette slices.  This was not only a quick and easy lunch it was healthy and delicious too.   This may just be my new favorite appetizer.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat both sides of sliced baquette with olive oil cooking spray.  Place on a rack and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp and warm.  Set aside to cool slightly. Place the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, and diced mozzarella together in a bowl; add the minced garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, white balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.  Mix until evenly combined. Place spoonfuls of the caprese salad on each slice of baguette.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.

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Caprese Bruschetta

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 5 min.

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
4 slices of whole wheat baguette
Handful of grape tomatoes, diced
2-3 tbsp of mozzarella cheese, diced
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 clove of garlic
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat both sides of sliced baquette with olive oil cooking spray. Place on a rack and cook for 5 minutes or until crisp and warm. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, and diced mozzarella together in a bowl; add the minced garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, white balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Mix until evenly combined.

Place spoonfuls of the caprese salad on each slice of baguette. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

I loved this pasta salad because it was filled with great flavors and textures.  I really liked the creamy mozzarella with the sweet tomatoes and roasted bell peppers along with the salty kalamata olives and the tangy artichoke hearts.  The whole grain pasta had a nice nutty flavor and went really nicely with the Dijon vinaigrette.  I served this delicious pasta salad with the Garlic and Herb Shrimp Skewers for a healthy and tasty meal.  My kids loved this salad so much they asked for the leftovers in their lunch bag the next day.

Add a tsp of oil to the pot you will be cooking the pasta in.  Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes; remove from the pan and place into a small dish.  Add the minced garlic to the dish followed by the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Whisk until well combined then set aside.  Side Note:  You don’t have to cook the shallot –  I did because it had a very strong flavor and I didn’t want it to overpower the vinaigrette.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water per instructions.  Drain then rinse with cold water to cool the pasta.  Toss the pasta into a large serving bowl then add the roasted bell peppers, grape tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, basil, and diced mozzarella.  Drizzle the vinaigrette on top then gently toss to coat evenly.    Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.  Enjoy.

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Pasta Salad with Roasted Bell Pepper, Mozzarella, Artichoke Hearts, Kalamata Olives, and Basil

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 min.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:

1 tsp + 1 tbsp olive oil (divided)
2 tsp shallot, diced finely
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Pasta Salad:

7 oz whole grain rotini pasta, cooked per instructions
1/4 cup of roasted bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup of grape tomaotes
1/4 cup of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1/4 cup of kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, diced
1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add a tsp of oil to the pot you will be cooking the pasta in. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes; remove from the pan and place into a small dish. Add the minced garlic to the dish followed by the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Whisk until well combined then set aside. Side Note: You don't have to cook the shallot - I did because it had a very strong flavor and I didn't want it to overpower the vinaigrette.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water per instructions. Drain then rinse with cold water to cool the pasta. Toss the pasta into a large serving bowl then add the roasted bell peppers, grape tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, basil, and diced mozzarella. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top then gently toss to coat evenly. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net

We went camping at the Oregon coast for Mother’s Day and all that sea air made me have a serious craving for seafood.  I had shrimp in the freezer so I decided to make some garlic and herb shrimp skewers that I found on Culinary Cory.  I marinated them for 2 hours and grilled them up in a grill pan because it was quicker and easier for me.  They turned out excellent!  The shrimp had great flavor, they were super tender, and delicious!  My daughter liked them a lot and my son LOVED them… he ended up eating 4 skewers!  My husband and I both agreed they were tasty.  Thanks for the terrific recipe Cory.

Combine the garlic, shallot, parsley, basil, dried mustard, Dijon mustard, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, taste, olive oil, and lemon juice together in a large zip lock bag. Seal and shake well to combine. Add the shrimp and shake to evenly coat. Seal and place into the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Soak the skewers in water for a few minutes. Spear the shrimp with the tail pointing in the same direction, four shrimp per skewer.

Heat a large grill pan over medium high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add the skewers once the pan is HOT. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on the serving dish. Repeat the cooking process with the rest of the skewers. Serve with extra lemon juice on the side if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

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Garlic and Herb Shrimp Skewers

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 min. + 2 hour marinating

Cook Time: 5 min.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled & deviened
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp shallot, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 tbs fresh basil leaves, minced
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

Combine the garlic, shallot, parsley, basil, dry mustard, Dijon mustard, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, taste, olive oil, and lemon juice together in a large zip lock bag. Seal and shake well to combine. Add the shrimp and shake to evenly coat. Seal and place into the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Soak the skewers in water for a few minutes. Spear the shrimp with the tail pointing in the same direction, four shrimp per skewer.

Heat a large grill pan over medium high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add the skewers once the pan is HOT. Cook for 2-3 minutes then flip for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place on the serving dish. Repeat the cooking process with the rest of the skewers. Serve with extra lemon juice on the side if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Culinary Cory

I can’t get over how much I enjoyed this dish.  I love that a few simple ingredients thrown together can make something so delicious!  I roasted the grape tomatoes with a touch of olive oil, minced garlic, and basil in the oven for 15 minutes before cracking two eggs into the dish and topping it with feta cheese.  I baked the eggs in the oven until the whites were set but the yolks were still soft. The combination of the roasted tomatoes, salty feta, and the eggs was really fantastic.   I will be making this recipe again soon… maybe tomorrow.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small ramekin with cooking spray.

Place the olive oil, sliced tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper, garlic, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste in the small baking dish.

Place into the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven then crack the eggs into the dish, being careful not to break the yolk; add the milk, feta cheese, and season with more sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place onto a baking tray and cook for 13-15 minutes or until the whites set but the yolks are still soft. Remove from the oven and serve with toast if desired. Enjoy.

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Baked Eggs in Roasted Tomatoes

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 min.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1/2 tsp olive oil
Handful of grape tomatoes sliced into thirds
1/4 tsp basil
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 tsp milk (I used fat free but cream would make it richer)
1 tsp feta cheese
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a small ramekin with cooking spray.

Place the olive oil, sliced tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper, garlic, and sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to tastes in the small baking dish. Place into the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven then crack the eggs into the dish, being careful not to break the yolk, then add the milk, feta cheese, and season with more sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Place onto a baking tray and cook for 13-15 minutes or until the whites set but the yolks are still soft. Remove from the oven and serve with toast if desired. Enjoy.

Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net