Summertime and the Living is Easy (Flavored Water)

It's been a bit steamy here lately (ahem, 101 yesterday), and when the temps are that scorching I drink gallons and gallons of water...  Fortunately, now that we are back in Michigan, we have my parents' pool for some time to refresh, relax, and cool down...

Yesterday when we showed up, my mom had even experimented with some flavored water for a refreshing twist!

(I can take no credit for putting these together.  All the credit goes to my mom. I simply tasted, evaluated, and enjoyed.)  :)

Recipe: (from nancycreative.com)


Watermelon-Basil Water
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
10 basil leaves
1 half-gallon of water

Pour water over melon and basil; refrigerate for 2 hours.  Serve over ice, garnished with a sprig of basil.


Lemon-Lime Water
lemons
limes
water

Pour water over lemons and limes; refrigerate for 2 hours.

And the website has lots more combinations!


Verdict:
Sometimes you get a little sick of just plain water....  This was the perfect way to liven up a summer beverage menu that was a much healthier choice than pop, juice, etc...  Plus the flavor of the fruit was quite light.  Personally, I'm not a fan of mass marketed flavored waters (Propel etc.).  The flavor is too heavy and very fake.  This flavor was very genuine because, duh, genuine fruits were used.  And there was just a hint of the flavor.  Enough to enjoy, not so much that it was overwhelming.


Not a bad way to spend a hot, sunny Thursday afternoon...

So.....  Since it looks like it's going to be hot as blazes for awhile now, try one of these recipes for a refreshing summer beverage!

Antipasti

After a few days of settling in and a weekend full of parties and eating out (rough life, I know), the Diva is back in a kitchen!  Not my kitchen.  But a kitchen.  And a very nice kitchen at that.

It's amazing how you don't get hot, sweaty, and frustrated boiling a pot of water when your kitchen is wider than the span of your arms.  Or how much easier cooking can be when someone else fits in the kitchen with you, and you can direct them to 'get this, 'check that,' 'rinse those.'  Or how much more efficient clean-up goes when  the idea of someone helping doesn't send you into a panic attack because there's no room.  Oh, and counter space!  When you don't have to wash every single utensil or dish directly after using it because there is actually space to let it sit for awhile?  Awesome.

Have I mentioned how little I liked our former kitchen?

Now that we are back in Michigan, we are enjoying a nice little stay-cation.  I won't start school until the fall of course, and Alex's new job doesn't start until mid-July.  Since he is around more, I let him pick out our first cooking adventure in Michigan.  Not surprisingly, he went for something Italian!

Recipe: (from Better Homes and Gardens - my adaptations in purple.)
4 ounces dried bow ties (I used whole grain shells)
12 ounce jar marinated artichoke salad (I used plain artichokes, packed in water)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed (to be honest, I used quite a bit more and didn't really measure - more taste tested as I sprinkled)
1/2 medium canteloupe
6 ounces salami, chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella balls, halved
1/2 head of broccoli, chopped small and lightly steamed
4 ounces black olives, halved
tomatoes, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain; rinse in cold water; drain again.

Drain artichokes, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid, to be added to the dressing. (Since I didn't use marinated artichokes, I made up for the lack of seasoning by adding more of the Italian.)  Toss with olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Combine all other ingredients in a bowl.  Toss well.

Add dressing to pasta salad.  Toss well.  Add seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.

Serve in pasta bowls.

Verdict:
Loved!  It's hard to go wrong with pasta, meat, and cheese of course.  But really, there was something about this combination of foods that was delicious.  Everything tasted light, fresh, and summery.  

 The artichokes may have been my favorite part.  And the cantaloupe.  I almost skipped it because I thought it sounded weird.  But it was the perfect hint of sweetness amongst all the savory flavors. 

It's also a wonderfully flexible dish, as evidenced with my many additions.  I'm especially glad that I added the broccoli, and I think in the future I will cook fewer noodles and double the amount of broccoli.  It's an easy way to limit the carbs and increase the veggies without really losing texture or flavor - always a good thing.

This dish definitely passes the husband test as Alex went back for seconds!  Not sure what is up for our next cooking adventure.... But I'm excited to find out!

Farewell to Cincinnati...

Today is the day!  We are moving back to Michigan and leaving Cincinnati behind for good.

And while this much-anticipated move brings us complete and total joy, there are a few things about Cincinnati that we'll miss...  Lots more to look forward to in the coming months and years back home but for now, a bit of a Cincinnati Highlight Reel:

Fountain Square.  It's such a great little downtown area.  Love the live music, weekend events, great restaurants, free winter ice skating, opportunity for carriage rides...  Some of our best Cincinnati times were spent right here.

Newport on the Levee.  Ok, not technically in Cincinnati or even Ohio but close and enjoyable.  They also have lots of events with great opportunities for people watching.  The views over the river are nice.  And they often have street performers to entertain the crowds in the evening.

The Montgomery Inn.  Great ribs!  (Although, while I will miss their ribs, I'm also going to be a lot closer to the ability to get my dad's ribs.  So I'm not that broken up about missing this one...)

 Trio.  Another restaurant.  What can I say?  We like food.  :-D  But we loved the atmosphere and food here and had some wonderful dinners with family.

Graeter's Ice Cream.  Not that there is a shortage of great ice cream places in Michigan.  But Graeter's had some of the best whipped cream I've ever tasted.  They can ship pints of their ice cream.  But my question is: Can they ship the whipped cream?????

We had some good times here.  And we're looking forward to even better times to come!

Good-bye Cincinnati.  HELLO MICHIGAN!!!!!

Strawberry Mango Salsa

Well, friends.  This is it.  My last meal prepared in this kitchen.  Although, to be honest, I didn't prepare all that much using the kitchen itself.  My resources are in boxes right now.  But the important point is - no more cooking in a kitchen where I can barely turn around!

As I said, most of my pans and appliances are packed away.  So I was looking for something simple to do with the fish I wanted to use from the freezer before moving.  I saw this on Pinterest awhile ago and while it is intended as a salsa for dipping pita chips (especially of the cinnamon sugar variety - yum!), I thought it would make an interesting topping to grilled fish as well.

Recipe: (from McConkie Menu via Pinterest)
3/4 cup strawberries, finely diced
3/4 cup mango, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
6 basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

I didn't actually measure anything.  My measuring cups and spoons are packed.  I just used approximately equal amounts of strawberry and mango then guesstimated everything else.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and allow to sit in refrigerator, covered, for a few hours before using.

Hubs grilled the fish.  I steamed some broccoli in the microwave.  And voila!  A simple and fresh meal that used up lots of food I would have had to throw out before the move anyway.  Success!

Verdict:
Well I do think I prefer this salsa simply to be used as a topping for cinnamon sugar pita chips.  Duh.  But it was pretty delicious this way too.  Love the savory and sweet combination.  Love the mango.  Don't eat a lot of it, and it felt fresh and summery and special.

Plus, I'm looking forward to using some leftover pineapple, the mango, and some strawberries with my yogurt for lunch tomorrow.  Yum!

Chicken, Kale, and Chickpea Skillet

Always looking for a way to get in some good leafy greens other than romaine lettuce in a salad, and this jumped out as a delicious sounding way to get in some kale...

Recipe:
1.75 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used chicken breasts to get them used up)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pasta, preferably small noodle
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 bunch kale, torn from stems and coarsely chopped
12 ounces baby portobella mushrooms, quartered (I substituted a can of artichoke quarters)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
2/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil.  Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then place in skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 6-7 minutes per side.  While the chicken is cooking, prepare the water for pasta and cook according to package directions.

Once chicken has cooked, reduce heat to to medium-low, place chicken on a plate, and add onions with a pinch of salt, kale, and mushrooms (or artichokes).  Saute for 5-6 minutes, or until soft.

Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more.

Increase heat slightly and add white wine, letting it cook and bubble for 3-4 minutes while alcohol cooks out.

Add chickpeas and pasta, then stir in parmesan cheese until everything is combined.

Place chicken back on top of ingredients and cover for a few minutes until heated through.

Serve immediately.

Verdict:
Yum!  There is nothing about this that I would change (well, except make it with mushrooms if I got the chance).  It was bursting with flavor not to mention all sorts of awesome nutrients, especially with foods like kale and chickpeas that we don't eat in this house all the often.  Love the variety.  This will end up on our dinner table often.

And the best part?  Are you ready for this?

The onions.

That's right, I said it.  The onions were phenomenal.  Usually, even when I 'like' the onions in a dish, I will only eat them in a bite with other food.  These I ate by.them.selves.  This is HUGE in my world.  HUGE.

Tortellini with Asparagus, Peas, and Mint

18 boxes packed.

And I'm kind of at a standstill.  For a few days at least.

I need enough supplies to live on for the next few days.  Clothes.  Cleaning supplies.  Toiletries.  Sheets and towels.  And I refuse to eat fast food for the next week... So I'm keeping as many of my basic kitchen pots and pans accessible as possible.  I have at least one or two more new recipes up my sleeve before leaving this kitchen behind forever!

Recipe: (from betsylife via Pinterest)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound cheese tortellini
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces, leave stems whole
1 cup shelled fresh peas, or thawed frozen peas (I used frozen)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (I skipped)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
2 ounces fresh goat cheese softened (I used feta)
freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil.  In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, cayenne, and salt.

(Glad I didn't pack my pasta serving bowl yet!)

Cook tortellini, peas, and asparagus in the boiling water until tortellini is al dente, about 2-3 minutes (although the pack of tortellini I had called for a 7-9 minute cooking time, so that is what I did).

Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain tortellini and vegetables and toss with garlic-oil mixture.  Add the pine nuts, mint, and cheese until the cheese melts into a sauce, adding cooking water as needed to moisten the pasta.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Verdict:
This recipe delivered with both simplicity and taste.  One pot.  One serving bowl.  Easy clean-up.  Although cooking pasta isn't as 'summer' friendly as cooking on the grill, the addition of so many fresh veggies made it feel lighter and more spring-like.  The kick of the cayenne pepper (in all honesty, I sprinkled in a bit more than the recipe called for) gave just enough bite in the light olive oil sauce.  The bite was balanced out by the veggies, noodles, and cheese.

Aaaaaaaannnnnnnddddddd......  It's an Alex-approved vegetarian meal (he went back for seconds!) that left us both feeling satisfied!

I will likely make a few changes when I make it again in the future.  The mint, while not bad, also did not add anything in my opinion to the overall taste.  So sans mint next time.  Also, I felt like there were a lot of peas.  Of course, I used more than the recipe called for (I wanted to just use all the frozen peas I had, so I won't have to deal when them next week when we move).  So I'll stick to just a cup in the future.  I don't dislike peas, but I don't want them to outweigh the asparagus either.

Product Review: Trader Joe's Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausage

Another product of Alex's tendency to explore at the grocery store.

I knew that we wanted sausage and peppers on the grill for dinner one night last week.  It's one of our favorite, and I've come to love a particular package of sausages at Trader Joe's.  As I was reaching for said package, Alex suggested we try a new kind.  And with ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes and basil, who was I to argue?

Just put the sausages and a few chopped sweet peppers on the grill.  And enjoy!  A perfect summer delight.

Product Review: Trader Joe's Seasoned Brussels Sprouts

I tend to be a creature of habit.  Especially with things I don't particularly like.  Example: grocery shopping.  I buy the same milk.  The same yogurt.  The same fruit.  The same vegetables.  Because I know where it all is, and I can get in and out as fast as possible.

Alex on the other hand like to peruse.... explore.... wander....

With his schedule right now, we don't grocery shop together open, but when we do, sometimes I need to employ my deep-breathing techniques.... (Now, I do like to try new stuff.  I just like to have found an exact idea with a recipe before going to the grocery store so that I can have it on my List.  If it's not on my List, I'm probably not even going to notice it in the store.)

I was in the produce section getting my usuals and trying decide what vegetables I wanted to get for a couple of dinners last week when Alex showed up with this package:

Super easy to put together: open package, warm olive oil in plan, saute sprouts till done (about 10 - 12 minutes).

Were they the most amazing brussels sprouts I had ever eaten?  No.

Were they tasty?  Definitely.

The nicest part was not having to cut them up.  Especially since our main course was the leftover pork chops from this recipe, and it was nice to have a meal that was pretty effortless from start to finish.  I'll continue making my own current favorite brussels sprouts recipe and trying new ones... But having patience with Alex's exploratory shopping tendencies paid off to have this option in mind when I want quick, easy, and nutritious.

P.S.  When I read about yummy products on other blogs, I usually see disclaimers about not getting 'compensated' for their opinion.  So, not that anyone would, but um, I wasn't compensated or given free food (darn!).  I just wanted to share in case anyone else is a tunnel vision grocery shopper like myself and needed a nudge to get the blinders off...

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Lime Sauce

While I love grilling (and I do!), I'm already finding it hard to continually come up with new recipes for those weeks when we grill almost.every.single.day.  The grill just makes the basics taste so darn good on their own that I'm not quite as motivated to switch it up...  Add that to avoiding buying large amounts of new ingredients that may or may not be used before packing it all up...  And add that to living in a temporary home without the vast majority of my cooking supplies accessible for about a month... And add that to moving, unpacking, and adjusting to a new house and well....  The months of June and July may be pretty scarce on this here blog...

But I'm trying, so for now:

Recipe:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (For the record, I hate recipes that call for lime juice in 'cup' measurements.  How do I know  how many limes it takes to get to 1/4 cup?  How does that help me in the grocery store?  So to make this easier in the future, 2 limes was just shy of 1/4 cup.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot-red pepper flakes (Rather than buy red hot pepper flakes, I substituted cayenne pepper.)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4-6 boneless pork chops

Whisk together lime juice, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and salt.

Add olive oil in a slow stream and whisk thoroughly.

Whisk in cilantro.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Prepare on grill.  Serve drizzled with garlic lime sauce with remainder on the side.

Fresh watermelon made the perfect side dish!

Verdict:
At first this didn't do much for us.  The flavor of the sauce was good but..... Just drizzling it over the top didn't really overwhelm us with the flavor...

That's when my genius husband (I knew I married him for a reason) decided to try dipping his bites into the sauce.

Much better.

I will definitely be making this sauce again, but I envision it needing those mini bowls on the side - like the kind you get soy sauce in at a hibachi restaurant.

And no, we don't have any bowls like that right now.  And yes, we did both dip our pork chop bites into the same container.  Don't judge.  We're married; germs don't count.