Easy Sundried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I recently found this Sundried Tomato Pesto at the store.  I thought I would give it a try.  It sounded like a nice departure from the typical spaghetti dinner.

Here are the Ingredients:

- 1 jar of sundried tomato pesto

- Penne pasta (or your favorite shape)

- splash of olive oil

- 1/2 lb. of ground chicken (or turkey)

- frozen peas, cooked

- sprig of thyme (I used mine from the pot on my kitchen counter)

Cook pasta per package directions.  Drain and mix in 2/3 of the jar of Sundried tomato pesto.  Adjust with quantity of pasta.  Add splash of olive oil to help blend ingredients.  Add ground chicken and cooked peas.  Stir altogether, top with sprig of thyme for garnish and serve immediately.  

I made this a second time and substituted the ground chicken for tuna.  It was okay, but I prefer the ground chicken.

This was great for a weeknight meal, with ingredients you can easily have on hand.

I would love to hear if you try it, and know what you think.  What is your favorite meal to make on a weeknight?

The Style of the Kentucky Derby - HATS!

Today is the Kentucky Derby, and with it are a lot of fun traditions.
 

 

When I was about 14, I went with my family to Churchill Downs where they run the Kentucky Derby.  It wasn't the day of the big race, but we still got to take in the experience of horse racing, mint juleps (I had the non-alcoholic version) and the HATS!
 
I love hats, but sadly this day and age people don't wear hats everyday.  I wish there were more reasons to wear hats.  Today I celebrate the amazing hats and style of the derby!

 

 

 

 

 

Hat Source

 

 

 

Which hat is your favorite?

To get in the spirit, here is the original Mint Julep recipe from the Kentucky Derby Website!

The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint
• Crushed ice
• Early Times Kentucky Whisky
• Silver Julep Cups

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

ENJOY!

Back to School - Lunch Ideas - Part 1

The kids are going back to school, and if you are like me you are wondering what you can make for luches that are healthy and that the kids will actually eat.

Here are some ideas for a healthy new school year.

Make PB+J more interesting...


PB+J Roll up's by Shine Food


Play with your food...


Shape Cutter Dolphins, stars and even a boat by Lisa Storms


Skip the bread...


Peanut butter and banana wraps from Betty Crocker


Try homemade...




Make your own fruit by the foot.  For the recipe visit Super healthy kids


Let them know you care...


Write a message on a banana with a toothpick by Come Together Kids





Joke ideas for your child's lunch box by A Mom with a Lesson Plan

What are your favorite things to pack in your child's lunchbox?  I would love to hear!  You will be included in part 2!

Here's to happy and healthy school year!

Go Nuts Day - June 27,2012 {Trying Nutella for the 1st Time}

Amy with One Artsy Mama challenged readers to try Nutella.  It was perfect timing because I had actually bought my first jar a couple of weeks ago, but hadn't tried it yet. 

I wasn't sure how to eat it, so there is sat in my pantry.  Toast sounded good, but that was too obvious.

Then one day, my husband had the cinnamon graham crackers out for lunch.  Aha!

I know others have amazing recipes, and I will have to try them.  But, who wants to wait to eat Nutella....

Whip out the knife, spread Nutella on your graham cracker and EAT!

Delcious!  I am hooked, and yes I am nutty about Nutella!

What is your favorite way to eat Nutella?

Thanks Amy for the challenge and inspiration!

The Feeding Post - Szechuan Beef Lettuce Wraps with Daikon Slaw and Soy-Lime Dressing

The Feeding Post

{Formerly Foodie Friday}

Szechuan Beef Lettuce Wraps with Daikon Slaw and Soy-Lime Dressing

week 7

    

Greetings my patient readers and sorry for the delay on this weeks article.  Week 7 of 8 has brought us a salad that is not only low fat and extremely healthy but it is also made to eat it with your hands! 

This dish was inspired by a menu item from that  Chinese chain restaurant that is in most metropolitan area malls.  It is quick, easy and packs a ton of flavor with minimal effort and ingredients. 

So lets get to it and make this refreshing hand-salad.  Here is the shopping list...

-3/4 lb. stir fry beef (marinated with 2 tablespoons soy-lime dressing)
-1 head iceberg lettuce (cored and quartered)
-1 medium carrot (peeled and julienned on mandolin)
-1/2 lb. daikon radish (peeled & julienned on mandolin)
-2 ribs of celery (thinly shaved with a knife)
-2 green onions (cut into thin discs)
-1/4 cup picked cilantro
-1-11oz. can mandarin oranges (drained)
-1/2 cup chow mein noodles
-1 recipe Soy-Lime Dressing
     
I started by making the dressing and marinating my meat.  Then for the daikon slaw, I mixed the prepped radish, carrot, celery, cilantro and onion into a medium mixing bowl and placed in the fridge.

While my meat continued to marinate, I made a buffet of all the ingredients at the kitchen table so that everyone could take ownership of their own lettuce wraps. 

Once the buffet was set, I cooked the beef in a scorching hot skillet using about 1 tablespoon of canola oil.  I let the meat sit on the blistering surface for about 45 seconds until stirring. 

I then finished cooking the meat and transferred it to a serving dish and placed it with the rest of the ingredients on the buffet line.
This whole recipe took about 30 minutes to complete and was just as tasty as it looks.  Is this a salad?  That is completely in the eye of the beholder; but on my scorecard, this IS a salad in the fact that the cold ingredients not only outweigh the hot ingredient, the iceberg acts as a edible shovel that will
definitely be going to the party in your tummy!  If you don't think this is a salad, just chop up the lettuce and mix it in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. 

Enjoy and I'll see you next time!


James Wood cookinwood@gmail.com www.thefeedingpost.com

The Feeding Post - Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Gastrique

The Feeding Post {Formerly Foodie Friday}

Watermelon with Queso Fresco, Roasted Pepitas and Balsamic Gastrìque

week 5 

Happy Friday!  After week 5 of eight has brought an unsuccessful attempt at trying to create an Asian style pasta salad, I decided to make some sexy food for us to enjoy.  

Sometimes I find it amazing what you can do with $0.50 worth of food. In this case, using the plate as my palate, I am able to create a light and refreshing amuse/salad with many textures and complex flavors that all marry together quite nicely. This is definitely a dish that allows you eat with your eyes. What does this salad that can easily cost you $10 or more at some trendy high rent restaurant contain? How about a few items that are in every level of grocery store no matter where you live. With these kinds of dishes it doesn't take much cooking skill, just knowledge of your ingredients and imagination.

Here is what I used...

-1 personal "seedless" watermelon (cut into 1" cubes)
-1/4 small block of Queso fresco (cut into 3/4" cubes)
-1/4 cup roasted seasoned pepitas (pumpkin seeds, leave 1/2 whole, grind other 1/2 in spice grinder for garnish)
-2 radishes (shaved on mandolin)
-A few drops of balsamic (see recipe HERE)
-A dash of Spanish extra virgin olive oil
-A sprinkle of Murray River Sea Salt     

There are countless ways to prepare this dish, I happened to choose an abstract approach but you can just as easily place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss. If this was the case, I would use white balsamic to conserve the red color of the watermelon. But since there is almost no cooking involved, I will let you choose your method of preparation.

In this picture I have displayed the whole plate or "painting". When creating edible art, keep it simple and elegant. Try to let the individual ingredients speak while creating a marriage with their respected counter ingredients.     
That's it for this week. Remember... It's ok to play with your food. See you soon.
You can find this whole post and the recipe for balsamic on James website, the Feeding Post.  Enjoy!

James Wood
Thefeedingpost@gmail.com
www.thefeedingpost.com


Linking Up:

The Feeding Post - Insalata di Pasta Carbonara

The Feeding Post

{Formerly Foodie Friday}

insalata di pasta carbonara,
week 4

Happy Friday everyone!  What better way to show up to a block party BBQ than to show up in style with my insalata di pasta carbonara made with whole wheat spaghetti, crispy bacon and hard cooked eggs tossed in my marinated tomato & red onion vinaigrette and topped with shaved parmesan and crispy artichoke chips.

As summer approaches, I am always thinking about crafty ways to give a savory heavy dishes a lighter edge.  Instead of a rich & buttery sauce, like in a traditional carbonara, I have chosen the route of a cool, light and tangy vinaigrette to go with the ingredients that are commonly found in this salivatingly savory dish.

So here's you prep list: This makes about 4 servings

-8 oz whole wheat spaghetti (cooked a little past al dente)
-1# bacon (cut in squares and cooked crispy)
-4 hard cooked eggs (peeled & rough chopped)
-2 fresh artichoke heart (thin sliced, tossed in cornstarch and flour mixture
and deep fried until crispy)
-4 oz marinated cherry tomato & red onion vinaigrette
1/2 bunch picked parsley
Shaved Parmesan
 
For the preparation of this salad, I started by pouring the marinated tomatoes into a blender and blended on high for about 17 seconds until it was smooth.  Then, in a large mixing bowl, I placed my hard cooked eggs and smashed them with a potato masher.  Finally, I added the rest of the ingredients including the dressing to the bowl and tossed until it was evenly incorporated.
    
Now it is time to serve up this amazingly delicious pasta salad and watch your guests faces light up with pleasure. 
I just started experimenting with canning/pickling for the first time yesterday.  The preparation was quite simple and was ready to use once it was room temperature.  It also packs a ton of flavor in a very short amount of time. 
As for the artichokes, if you do not want to spend the time cleaning, choking, slicing and frying, you could always use store bought hearts, but that's up to you. 
Thanks for reading and have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

House Marinated Tomatoes with Red Onions

2 pints cherry tomatoes (rinsed & halved)
1 medium red onion (sliced & rinsed)
10 cloves garlic (sliced thin & rinsed)

Canning Solution
1 tablespoon of basil oregano and parsley
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups white distiller vinegar
1/4 cup turbanado sugar
2 tablespoons canning salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1.  Clean and sanitize (2)-1qt canning jars, lids and seals and stuff them with the vegetables.
2.  Bring canning solution to a simmer, then ladle solution into jars until it is 1/2" from the top.
3.  Place seal on jar and loosely screw lid, then submerge into boiling water for 15-20 minutes.
4.  Turn off heat and let cool before handling. Label, date and store. This should last for 6 months in cupboard.

 James Wood cookinwood@gmail.com
Find the full recipe at: www.thefeedingpost.com

The Feeding Post - Marinated Green Bean Salad

The Feeding Post

{Formerly Foodie Friday}

Marinated Green Bean Salad,

week 3

Happy Friday everybody!  I hope all of you have had an eventful and fulfilling week.  I will be preparing a marinated green bean salad with cherry tomatoes, fresh bacon bits, croutons and a red wine vinaigrette.  This is the salad that I brought to our neighbors house to accompany their delicious savory bread pudding.  What a successful and delicious meal that turned out to be.
   
Let's get the prep list together so we can prepare this delicious salad.

Here's what we need...

-1 pound green beans (cleaned, blanched and shocked)
-1 pound bacon (cut into thin strips and then cooked off)
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
-1/2 cup croutons
-1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette
    
To start this recipe I preheated my oven to 350F to cook my bacon bits and croutons  and also brought about 1 gallon of water to a boil with enough salt to make it taste like the ocean.  In the restaurant we had a term "salty as the sea" when blanching vegetables or cooking pasta. 

As my oven and water were heating up, I cut my cherry tomatoes in 1/2, cleaned my great beans, sliced my raw bacon and ciabatta roll and put them on separate pans for baking.  I then made my vinaigrette following the recipe below.

Red Wine Vinaigrette
1-1/2 cups blend oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 small shallot (shaved on a mandolin)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
 
1)  bring shallots and vinegar it a simmer in small sauce pan and let cool.
2)  slowly whisk in oil or place in jar with salt and pepper and shake until incorporated.  Pretty easy!
Once the water comes to a boil, drop the beans in the water for about 3-4 minutes to blanch and then immediately "shock" them in ice water once they reach al dente and then drain once completely cool.  Cook bacon in the oven for about
15 minutes or until crispy  and then drain them from fat and let cool.  Lightly toast your croutons in the oven for about 4-5 minutes and let cool.
    
Finally in a large mixing bowl combine beans, tomatoes bacon and vinaigrette and let marinate for 3-4 hours before serving.  When ready to serve, add your crispy croutons and enjoy. 

This serves about 4-6 people. 

I hope you have a great weekend and I will see you soon.  

See the full recipe post Here, on James site www.thefeedingpost.com.

James Wood
cookinwood@gmail.com
www.thefeedingpost.com

Linking Up:

a href="http://thecsiproject.com" target="_blank">

Foodie Friday - Roasted Beet Carpaccio Salad

Roasted Beet Carpaccio Salad 

by Resident Chef James Wood

What is your favorite way to make beets?  What salad would you like to see next?

Linking Up:

Foodie Friday - Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad with homemade dressing- PART2

Shrimp Caesar Salad with homemade dressing

by Resident Chef James Wood

Caesar dressing
2 cups Blended oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
One egg yolk
1 teaspoon worse to shire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon
Two cloves of fresh garlic
Two anchovy fillets
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
Tabasco to taste
Salt-and-pepper to taste

Add all ingredients except oil into food processing type device. I am using a beaker and a stick blender.

Once again, slowly drizzle blend oil while device is running and if it gets too thick for your liking, add a little water.

Woohoo some tasty caesar dressing. (Did you know that caesar dressing was invented in Tijuana?? You should google it to get the whole scoop!!)



Now for the delicious Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad


First I started by taking the italian dressing we made earlier (in Part 1) and marinated, skewered, peeled and deveined the shrimp.

Then I cut a baguette on a bias and brushed it with blend oil (from Part 1), seasoned with salt and pepper and baked at 350F for 5 minutes until toasty!

I threw the shrimp on the barbi, my bbq was about 600F so i just put them on and immediately turned off the barbi.  It took about 2 minutes on each side to complete the cooking process.

I let them rest on a plate while I tossed the salad.

I cut up some romaine lettuce into 2x2 squares and seasoned it with salt and pepper.

Drizzled some dressing on it:

Tossed it:

Used my potato peeler to shave some parmesan:

Then I made it look all purdy like this!!!

So that was a little lesson on what you can do with oil and vinegar. I hope everyone has a super weekend. Take care and brush your hair!

James Wood

Be sure to check out Part 1 for homemade salad dressings - Italian as menitioned above and Balsamic Vinagrette.  James also describes what blend oil (a great way to stretch your budget!)