Tomatoes Tulips for Easter

Here is a beautiful floral arrangements made of tomatoes, cheese and asparagus for an Easter appetizer or a spring brunch. Simple. Cute. Festive. Requires little time. All my favorite things.

red and yellow cherry tomatoes
herbed soft cheese (I used garlic and herb soft spreadable cheese by Alouette)
asparagus stems, tops cut off

1. Fit a piping bag with any round tip and fill with soft herbed cheese.

2. Using a pairing knife, make two perpendicular cuts from the narrow tip of the tomato toward the base. Only go about 3/4 of the way down. Do not cut all the way through!

3. Pipe cheese into the center where the cuts overlap. You will have to use your fingers to pry the opening a bit.

4. Arrange filled tomatoes on the platter. Place cut asparagus stems on platter to mimic tulip stems.

Carrot Veggie Platter for Easter

If you are looking for simple and cute appetizer for Easter, then look no further! This is as easy as it gets, yet looks super adorable! Try it and I guarantee it will be a hit! You could pair this appetizer with an Easter bunny bread filled with dip. Then you have a bunny and his carrot. Also, you can eat the veggies from the carrot with the dip. Happy Easter!

3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 heads of broccoli florets

1. Arrange slices of carrots in a narrow triangle shape.

2. Add broccoli florets in a heaping pile at top of the carrot triangle to make the carrot!

That's it! Like I said. Easy. Cute. Perfect.

Vegetable Tian

The new year has come and everyone is busy racking their brain with resolutions, changes, and new ideas. Many people will plan to become healthier and more food conscious in the new year. If eating your veggies and enjoying them is one of your goals for the new year, then this is perfect for you.

People always say how kids hate eating their vegetables. I know this because I was that kid. I ate maybe ten foods, none of which were nutrient rich. I was such a picky eater and I'm not entirely over that. There are still plenty of foods that make me squirm, but I did finally embrace veggies and found such delicious and healthy ways to prepare them. This is one of my husband's favorite veggie sides for dinner.

Happy New Year and may 2014 bring everyone many blessings and happiness!

2 onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed

3 red potatoes

3 large tomatoes

1 yellow zucchini

1 green zucchini

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup provolone cheese, shredded

salt

pepper

1. Saute the onion and garlic with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt over medium heat until softened. Set aside to cool.

2. Slice the potatoes and vegetables into thin round disks.

3. Spray a square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop half of the onions and garlic into the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Layer the veggie and potato slices vertically, in an alternating pattern. Then top with salt, pepper, and tbsp of olive oil. Spread the remaining garlic and onions over the veggies and cover with foil.

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.

Adapted from Budget Bytes

Caprese Skewers

Simply the cutest appetizer! Everyone loves these! They are healthy and tasty! Only a few ingredients that are easy to put together. Enjoy these at your next party!

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bunch of fresh basil, larger leaves work best
1 pkg fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or smaller sized works best)
large toothpicks or skewers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1. Skewer one end of a fresh basil leaf and then slide one mozzarella ball and one cherry tomato on the stick. Press the other end of the fresh basil leaf onto the end of the skewer.

2. Combine olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle over platter of caprese skewers before serving.

Make Your Own Edible Arrangements (Fruit and Veggie)

Welcome Spring! We missed you! This past Sunday, first day of spring has finally arrived after much anticipation! It's been a cold and snowy winter and the idea of warmer weather, flowers, being outdoors without a fuzzy coat, all sound very appealing. However, just a few days into spring and I wake up to see this....


So apparently winter is trying to give us one last hurrah before spring can come and take over! This time last week, there was beautiful 70 degree weather and today schools are closed. Either way, I'm getting ready for spring! It's coming soon, right?

Fruit Edible Arrangement

1 whole pineapple, cut into 1"inch thick slices
10 blueberries
1 container strawberries
1 cantaloupe
1 pound green grapes
1 pound red grapes

Also some necessary items for construction:
bowl or vase with wide mouth (approx 5-6 in diameter)
foam or loosely balled foil with a cover, such as lettuce leaves or melon rind
skewers
toothpicks

1. Prep your base first by placing the loosely balled foil into the bottom of your vase or bowl until its 3/4 full. Then place the covering over it. I used the rind from the cantaloupe and it looked so cute! Or if you happen to have florist foam you can just place it in the bottom with or without a cover. Just be sure it fits snug.

2. Now here is the beauty of making your own edible arrangements. You can choose exactly how many of each items, how tall they are,and how to arrange them; it's all up to you! So if you love strawberries, use more of those. If you are making this for friend who loves pineapple, go crazy. Also I found it easier, to choose one skewers to make all the holes in the base before you begin. I also choose to push the skewers in the base before adding the fruit. It seemed to work better.

3. Cut the cantaloupe into wedges after removing the rind. I tried to keep mine welly intact to use it as the cover. I also used a fancy vegetable slicer to add crinkled edge cuts on the cantaloupe. Set aside prepped cantaloupe.

4. The strawberries are very simple. Just remove the greenery on their tops with a knife and place on skewers. You certainly could dip them in chocolate. I wanted to dip the, but happened to be out of chocolate when I made these, which barely ever happens because I love chocolate!

5. The grapes were fun and easy. Slide the grapes on the skewers vertically and just keep filling your skewer until the grapes reach the top.

6. Now for the trickiest of all, the pineapple flower. I used a star-shaped cookie cutter for this flower. Cut out one flower in the middle of the slice. Then, using a paring knife, carefully cut through the middle horizontally to make two 1/2" thick stars. Use a small piece of toothpick to securely attach the two stars in the middle and put one blueberry on the end and skewer up the center of the flower. Viola!

7. Be sure to keep your arrangements covered in saran or cellophane and in the refrigerator. And try to make it near to the time you will be serving or delivering the arrangements, so the fruit is fresh as possible!


Veggie Edible Arrangement

10 radishes
10 asparagus stalks
1 small bunch of fresh dill stalks
1 container of cherry tomatoes
1 cup of dressing (Ranch, blue cheese, Caesars, etc)

Also some necessary items for construction:
bowl, vase, or Ball jars
toothpicks


1. Start by washing and preparing a large bowl of cold water to let the radishes soak in.

2. Using a small paring knife, cut off the tops of radishes and level the bottoms.

3. Begin to make small cuts on the sides of the radishes, but don't go all the way down. Leave the bottom connected as a flap for petals. Let soak in cold water for about an hour to open the "flowers".

4. Remove the tops of the asparagus and put half a toothpick into the bottom of the stalk.

5. Push one radish flower onto the toothpick and repeat with the rest of the asparagus and radishes.

6. You can either use a dressing in the bottom to appear as "water" in your vase or what I did which was fill the bottom inch of the vase with cherry tomatoes.

7. Stand up the "flowers" and dill, which acts as your greenery, in the vase and that's it! Also, keep this arrangement in the refrigerator and serve/deliver as soon as possible for fresh veggies!


Source: The Dapper Darling

Also featured on: Works for Me Wednesday

Minestrone Soup

My mom and I were lucky to both have a day with nothing to do recently. This is quite a rarity for us since we are both always running around all day and never have spare time at the same time. We decided to some cooking because we had a busy week ahead and knew some nights could quickly turn to pizza or take out (not that I mind those nights on occasion). We made a double batch of this minestrone soup, so we would have plenty for the busy nights. This soup recipe is one of my family's favorites that has been passed down from my Mom's Mom. I hope that you and your family enjoy it as much as we do!

12 cups water
2 1/2 cups dried navy beans
1 1/2 cups of dried northern beans

6 strips low-sodium bacon, chopped

6 tbsp olive oil
2 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 stalks of celery, sliced

4 small carrots, peeled and sliced

2 medium potatoes, diced

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

2 quarts hot water

1/2 cup pre-cooked rice

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup tomato paste

Pecorino Romano, grated for topping

oyster crackers, for garnish

1. Bring 12 cups of water to boil in a large sauce pot. Add the beans gradually to keep the water boiling.

2. Simmer beans for 2 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside to soak an hour and a half.

3. Add bacon to the pot of beans and return to medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low whiling stirring occasionally.

4. While beans are simmering, heat olive oil in skillet and cook the onions and garlic just until browned, then set aside.

5. After beans have simmered one hour, add onions, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, parsley, salt and pepper. Slowly pour in two quarts of hot water and simmer about two hours until beans are tender.

6. Meanwhile, cook rice traditionally. When the soup is almost done cooking, add in rice and peas. Cook another 10 minutes or so until the peas are tender, then stir in tomato paste. Simmer another ten minutes and remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and crackers.

Approx. 10-12 servings

Mushrooms Parmigiana

This is an easy stuffed mushroom recipe that my mom has used for years. It's got lots of flavor and is a perfect appetizer for dinner or a party!

1 lb mushroom caps
4 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
4 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 tsp pepperoncino flakes
1/2 tsp oregano


1. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Roughly chop the stems and set aside. Drizzle a little olive oil into a baking dish and place the mushroom caps in the dish with the cavity facing upwards.

2. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place the mushroom stems, onion, and garlic in the pan and cook until slightly browned. Remove from heat.

3. Mix bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepperoncino flakes, and oregano in a separate bowl.
4. Stir in the onion, garlic and stems into the dry mixture. Fill the cavity of the mushroom caps with breading.

5. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the mushroom (if you have some extra cheese, you could sprinkle some on now as well) and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (slightly browned).

Also featured on:

Eggplant Parmigiana Stack-Ups

My family is a big fan of the traditional eggplant parmigiana, but I was looking for a way to make it different. So I looked for some kind of eggplant parmigiana "stacks" and found a recipe from Chef Fabrizio Carro on Martha Stewart's website and ended up with a very yummy dinner.

Eggplant Parmigiana

3 medium eggplants (not more than 4-inches in diameter), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 cup flour
4 cups canola oil
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped
6 ounces grated Pecorni Romano cheese (Original recipe called for Grana Padano, but this is what I had on hand)
3 oz grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup packed basil leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups Tomato Sauce Recipe (below)


1. Lay eggplant slices in a single even layer on a rack set over rimmed baking sheets; generously season with salt. Let stand 15 minutes to release excess moisture; pat dry with paper towels.

2. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge eggplant slices in flour, shaking off excess. In a large pot, heat canola oil to 300 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, add eggplant slices to hot oil and cook, turning once, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain; repeat process with remaining eggplant.

3. Place mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and Parmesan cheeses in the bowl of a food processor; process until just combined. Add basil leaves and olive oil; process until well combined. Season with fine sea salt and pepper and transfer to a disposable pastry bag.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set six 4-by-3-inch round ring molds in a large shallow baking dish. Place a dollop of tomato sauce at the bottom of each ring mold. Top with a slice of eggplant. Cut a small hole from the bottom of the pastry bag and pipe a layer of cheese mixture on top of eggplant. Top with another dollop of sauce, followed by another slice of eggplant. Repeat process until you have reached the top of the ring mold or have created four layers, ending with a slice of eggplant. Top with a little tomato sauce.

5. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and eggplant is warmed through, about 15 minutes. Using a spatula, carefully transfer filled ring molds to individual serving plates. Carefully remove ring mold before serving.


Tomato Sauce

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally and taking care not to let sauce stick to the bottom of the pot, about 2 1/2 hours.

3. Remove from heat and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth, adding basil leaves as you blend. Alternatively, working in batches, you can transfer tomato sauce to the jar of a conventional blender, adding basil leaves as you blend.

4. Season with salt and pepper and reheat to use immediately or let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to use, 3 to 5 days.

Black Forest Cream of Musroom Soup

My parents were recently told by their doctor to go on a strict diet in efforts to improve their health. My family is generally a pasta loving, big eating, fun times family. We tend to eat a bunch, because we love the philosophy of the Italian table. However, my parents are doing a switch away from eating meat, carbs, and dairy for the next two months. So I researched the diet and found some recipes, and there are definitely some fun and creative ways to eat even with restrictions. This recipe is taken directly from Dr. Fuhrman's website, which was full of great ways to eat healthy.


1/2 cup dried mixed mushrooms (optional)
2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms (button, shiitake, cremini), sliced 1/4" thick
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons herb de Provence
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 cups cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped organic celery
3 leeks, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
4 tablespoons no salt seasoning
5 cups carrot juice
3 cups water
1/4 cup raw cashews
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 cans white beans, northern, navy, or cannellini (no salt)
1 5-oz bag organic baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions:
If using dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water to cover for 30 minutes and cut in pieces.

Heat 1/8 cup water in large saute pan. Water sauté the fresh and dried mushrooms, garlic and dried herbs until tender and fragrant. Set aside.

In large soup pot, bring carrot juice, water, carrots, cauliflower, celery, leeks and seasoning to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree 1/2 vegetable soup in high powered blender, adding cashews, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Add pureed soup back to soup pot along with mushrooms, beans, and spinach. Heat until spinach is wilted.

Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.