Hummus - Jazzed up!

I had some girlfriends over to celebrate our friend's birthday and wanted to serve some nibblies that were quick to put together and also tasty before we enjoyed birthday cake. This recipe for hummus not only looks fun served on a cake plate, but also jazzes up the taste of hummus with all the additional toppings. And you gotta love Trader Joe's for making our life simple with their awesome bruschetta sauce!

Hummus with Delicious Toppings

Hummus with Delicious Toppings
1 10 ounce container plain hummus (or you could use homemade)
1/2 small cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1 small tomato, seeds removed and finely diced
handful kalamata olives, fined chopped
sprinkle of feta cheese
drizzle of olive oil
fresh dill
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Spread hummus on cake plate, distribute toppings all over top, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dill, salt and pepper. Serve with pita chips and carrots.

Easy Bruschetta

The Secret Trick to Easy Bruschetta~

Easy Bruschetta
1/2 sourdough bagette, sliced
1 container Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce

Place bread slices on baking sheet and toast in 350° oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until crispy. Top with bruschetta sauce and enjoy!

Perfect Appetizers for an Evening of Summer Fun

Roasted Broccoli, Farro and Feta Salad

I loved one of the boxed salads from Green Heart Foods in San Francisco that I tasted at the screen printing class I took recently. It was so tasty I tried to recreate it~ this is a simpler version (ie., doesn't include "preserved lemon" that they had in their version), but is just as delicious! 

Roasted Broccoli, Farro and Feta Salad

2/3 cup dry farro

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (2 T for roasted broccoli, 2 T for dressing)

1 pound broccoli florets, roasted

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup crumbled feta 

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Cook farro according to instructions (I used Trader Joe's Farro like I did in this recipe). While cooking farro, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons olive oil on foil lined bakng sheet, add kosher salt and pepper to taste and roast in 400° oven for 15-20 minutes.

Make dressing: put minced garlic and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar in jar. Let sit (to "cook" garlic) for 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and shake. 

Put cooked farro in bowl, add cooled roasted broccoli, feta, and cherry tomatoes. Pour dressing all over ingredients and let "marinate" for a few hours before serving.  Enjoy!

Farro salad was a perfect addition to dinner with grilled salmon and green beans

Grits Spinach Egg Casserole

If you like grits and spinach, you are going to love this casserole! My husband has southern roots and adores grits, so I made this tasty breakfast for him this weekend. The pancetta adds a crunchy salty bite and the grits are the perfect base to the spinach and cheese - it is a little lighter than one of our other favorite grits casseroles, but just as delicious!

Grits Spinach Egg Casserole

4 cups water
1 cup quick cooking grits
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 onion, chopped fine
6 ounces pancetta, cubed ( I used the prechopped ones from Trader Joe's)
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup gruyere or swiss cheese (save 1/4 cup to put on top)

Bring water to boil and add grits to saucepan slowly to prevent lumps. Cover and turn to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, stirring into grits until incorporated and then stir in milk.  

Saute pancetta in saucepan until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pancetta. Saute onion until soft, then add spinach and cook until wilted. Add spinach/onion mixture to grits and stir in 3/4 cup cheese as well. 

Pour into buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and add remaining  1/4 cup cheese to top and bake 5 more minutes or until browned on top. Enjoy!



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Burrata Cheese Appetizer

Have you ever tried Burrata Cheese? My mother and father-in-law discovered this tasty cheese on their recent trip to Italy and I loved it when they shared it with us during their last visit. It essentially is a cheesy ball (actually shaped like a little bag) that has an outer sheath of solid mozzarella that surrounds a soft inner mixture of mozzarella and cream that has a spreadable consistency. It is a delicious appetizer and was fun to cut open and spread on slices of fresh bread. We drizzled the ball with olive oil, a sprinkling of kosher salt, a grind of pepper and ground pistachios (since the cheese is a little bland) and served it with ciabatta bread. It also tastes great with a drizzling of balsamic reduction sauce. Enjoy!

You can find Burrata in specialty stores 
and even Trader Joe's 
(but the Italian imported kind is much better)

See how the ball looks like a little pouch?

Burrata tastes great spread on a slice of fresh bread or toasted crostini

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread

Are you ready for another delicious fall treat that is a cinch to make? This is one of the BEST quick bread mixes around and you can do so many things with it! Trader Joe's only sells their Pumpkin Bread Mix for a few months out of the year, which makes it even more special because you can't buy it year round.

We had my dad over for dinner tonight because my mom is away for a girls weekend and I made two mini loaves for dessert- one of them had cranberries and chopped almonds topped with maple icing (1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon whole milk, 3/4 cup powdered sugar) and the other with mini chocolate chips. Both were yummy! Muffins from this mix are awesome, too...go out and buy yourself a few boxes if you have a Trader Joe's near by~ you and your family will be happy!

Make Your Own Mini Pizzas

On our last day in Tahoe, we had a great lunch that the kids loved. They had spent the morning swimming in the Lake, so were very hungry after enjoying the cold, clear lake water and the warm hot tub afterward.  The kids got to personalize their own pizzas and make them exactly how they wanted them. I put them in the oven while they changed out of their swimsuits and the timing was perfect.

I even made a few "appetizer" pizzas for the adults to enjoy with their lunch salads. The mini Hawaiian Pizza with fresh pineapple and canadian bacon and the mini Pesto Pizza with pesto, fresh tomatoes and shredded parmesan cheese were a hit with the adults. The kids loved the mini Parmesan Pizzas with olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese and garlic salt. 

The mini pizzas are ready for the kids to choose their toppings

Each of the kids loved making their own

Their personalized pizzas before baking

Appetizer pizzas for the adults and kids- 
Hawaiian Pizzas (lower left),  
Pesto, Tomato and Pamesan (lower right, upper left) and 
Olive Oil, Parmesan and Garlic Salt (upper right)

Mini Pizzas

2 packages pre-made pizza dough (I love Trader Joe's pizza dough in a bag)

Assorted toppings:

-pizza sauce

-mozzarella cheese

-shredded parmesan cheese

-cubed canadian bacon

-sliced bacon

-sliced tomatoes

-sliced fresh pineapple

-pesto

-garlic salt
-any other veggie or meat you like (olives, peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, broccoli, sausage, bbq chicken- the options are endless!)

Place dough on floured counter and let sit for 20 minutes. Cut dough into six balls and spread each ball into a flat shape (I found it hard to make circles-not a problem since the more irregular ones looks more homemade that way!) 
Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Add desired toppings. 
Bake at 425° for 10-13 minutes until bubbling on top and lightly browned on bottom. Enjoy!

Sesame Beef Stir Fry

This is another variation on the beef/soy sauce/veggie combination that is a winner! I also just discovered a wonderful Trader Joe's short cut.---Quick to Cook Beef Sirloin---which makes this dish even easier because you don't even have to slice the meat!

If you have access to Trader Joe's, this meat is perfect for this dish

Sesame Beef Stir Fry

1- 1/12 pounds thinly sliced beef sirloin
marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 knob ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot, sliced
1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
1 pound  baby broccoli

Make marinade by combining soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, brown sugar and sesame.  Add sliced sirloin to marinade for 15 minutes- 1 hour. While meat marinates, head saucepan to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil then the sliced shallots and mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are beginning to get soft. Steam broccoli for 5 minutes until bright green and drain. Put mushrooms and broccoli aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to same pan that you used to cook the mushrooms and heat at medium high. Add the meat and cook  approximately two minutes on each side until cooked through.Cook meat in batches so that you don't crowd the pan. Combine mushrooms, broccoli and beef in same pan to warm all through. Serve with brown or white rice. Enjoy!

Trader Joe's Grilled Pizza

I have never made grilled pizza, nor would I have tried it, had my stove/oven not been broken for the last few days. I had a bag of Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough in my fridge that needed to be cooked before expiration and hungry girls for lunch. So I did a little research and took the plunge and made a pizza on my barbecue. It cooked very quickly and despite getting a little charred in spots, tasted amazingly delicious. I am posting this as my first attempt at grilling pizza and look forward to following up someday when I get really good at it! Just keepin' it real for you all :)

Grilled Trader Joe's Pizza
 
1 package Trader Joe's whole wheat or regular pizza dough
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce (or more if you like it saucier)
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Grated Mozzarella Cheese (or more if you like it cheesier)

Heat grill to medium high heat. Take dough out of refrigerator- dust counter with flour and rest dough on top of counter for 20 minutes. Stretch dough to pizza shape and brush with olive oil. Put on rimless baking sheet for easy deposit on your grill and place the dough, oil-side down on the grill with top down for two minutes. Flip over and put sauce on quickly and sprinkle with cheese. Close grill for another minute or until cheese is melted and then remove. Slice and enjoy!

Parmesan Cheese Crisps

These wafer-like cheese crackers would be a great accompaniment to a salad or could even be a tasty appetizer cracker if you made them smaller and bite size. My kids gobbled them up before I could save them for any such use, so you could also make them for after school snacks!

The kiddos enjoying parmesan crisps!

Parmesan Crisps

1 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese (Trader Joe's has a bag of Freshly Grated Parmesan that is perfect for this---or you can grate your own)

Place tablepoonfulls of parmesan on parchment lined cookie sheet. Spread the parmesan out roughly in a 3" diameter. Bake for five minutes at 400° until cheese is melted and golden brown. Cool on rack and enjoy!

Heart Healthy Farro Salad

My dad just had an angioplasty procedure yesterday and thankfully his heart looks just fine! I wanted to make a heart healthy lunch for my mom and him to enjoy today and I found this delicious looking recipe that I adapted to what I already had on hand. Farro is an ancient grain similar to barley and adds a nice bite to this salad. We enjoyed sharing this lunch in my parents' terrace today and felt so blessed that he is well.  Here's to all of us staying healthy!

Dad and his healthy salad!

Farro Salad with Tuna, Northern Beans and Kale

1 cup farro or barley

1 15 ounce can Northern White Beans or Cannellini Beans

1 5 ounce can tuna packed in water

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

1 bunch baby kale leaves

1 tablespoons capers

1 bunch asparagus

a few cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook farro in chicken stock. I used Trader Joe's Farro- it is quick cooking and comes in a perfect sized bag. Boil 2 cups of chicken stock (or you can just use water, too) and add bag of farro. Continue cooking 10-12 minutes over medium heat so that the liquid continues to bubble. Take off heat and drain if there is any leftover liquid. Use all the farro except about 2 cups- you can save that for another use!

While the Farro cooks, make the dressing. Smash the garlic cloves until a thick paste is formed. Put into jar and sliced shallots. Add lemon juice to the garlic and shallot and let it stand for a few minutes to "cook" the garlic and shallots. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and shake until blended.

Cut the kale into strips, put into a  bowl and add a little dressing to help soften the kale.

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Slice into bite sized pieces.

Combine the cooked farro, beans, tuna, asparagus and capers in a large bowl. Pour the rest of the dressing over the salad and toss well. Place the kale on the bottom of the plate, put the farro and tuna mixture on top and add a few cherry tomatoes sliced in half for color. Enjoy!

Chinese Slaw

Even if you don't like traditional cole slaw, you have try this variation of slaw with a chinese twist.  It contains no mayonnaise and is high on flavor while being low in calories.

Chinese Slaw

1 12 ounce bag of broccoli slaw (Trader Joe's carries it as well as Safeway)

1  5 ounce can sliced water chestnuts, cut into sticks

1 11 ounce can mandarin oranges

4 radishes, sliced into sticks

2 green onions sliced

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate for two hours and toss before serving.

Adapted from this recipe

Mushroom Pizza with Gruyere and Basil

My husband and I enjoyed this tasty pizza for lunch today- it would make a great appetizer, too.

Mushroom Pizza with Gruyere and Basil

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (I used sliced crimini, but you can use what you have in the fridge!)
2-3 cloves garlic
1 shallot, minced
pinch dried thyme
2 mini boboli (or you could use pizza dough or flatbread)
1 cup grated swiss/gruyere mix (Trader Joe's has a pre-shredded bag that is perfect for this)
2 tablespoons chopped basil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In saute pan over medium high heat, heat olive oil and saute mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add garlic, shallot, pinch of thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Saute 6 minutes longer until mushrooms and garlic begin to brown at edges.
Place whatever kind of crust you are using on baking sheet, brush lightly with olive oil, place cheese on crusts and scatter mushrooms on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes until cheese and crust turn golden brown. Allow pizza to rest for a few minutes before sprinkling with chopped basil. Yum!

Trader Joe's Polenta

I am keeping it real in a big way tonight with an easy, three ingredient main dish for dinner. Add a green salad, loaf of bread and dinner is on the table!

The Three Ingredients

Dinner is ready!

Trader Joe's Polenta

1 tube Trader Joe's organic polenta

1/2 jar Trader Joe's creamy tomato basil sauce

1/2 container Trader Joe's shaved cheese blend

Slice polenta tube and layer in three rows in 8x12" pan (or whatever pan works for you!). Pour sauce on top of polenta, then the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

If you have time, making the polenta fresh with dried corn meal and using homemade sauce you just happen to have in the fridge would make it even better!

Simple and Delicious Breadsticks

My kids and their friends adore these breadsticks- great for an after school snack or with dinner!

Simple Breadsticks

1 package Trader Joe's pizza dough (or any pizza dough)

garlic salt

Grated Parmesan cheese

Take the dough out of the package and let rest on the counter at room temperature for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle flour on surface and roll out dough to 12 x 15 inch rectangle.  Spray rectangle with olive oil spray and cover dough with a light dusting of garlic salt and parmesan cheese and press the cheese into dough with rolling pin.

Slice into 1 inch sticks and place on greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.