SPINACH & ROASTED GARLIC PESTO

So here I am...back in the kitchen! It's been a very long break for me and although I've enjoyed my time off, it feels good to be back. I've been so inspired by all the yummy fresh fruits and veggies I've been getting in my bountiful basket each week. If you have this service available in your area, you really should look into it and give it a try!

A couple weeks ago we got a lovely bundle of fresh spinach and this is what I decided to do with it...


SPINACH & ROASTED GARLIC PESTO
(Mindi Original)

To make the Pesto:

1 bunch spinach (4 C.)
1 head roasted garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
1 T. lemon juice
½ C. roasted pine nuts
½ C. parmesan cheese
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
¼ - ½ C. olive oil

1. Place all the ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor or blender.
2. Puree the ingredients. While the food processor or blender is on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.

(The more olive oil, the thinner the pesto. You might want a thicker pesto for spreading on bread or pizza etc. You might want a thinner pesto for tossing with pasta or using as a dipping sauce.)


To make the Chicken Pesto Pasta as pictured above:

1 lb. cooked pasta
3 C. shredded chicken
1 C. toasted bread crumbs
1 recipe pesto

1. Toss all the ingredients together and serve hot or cold.

ROASTED GARLIC ROSEMARY CHEESE POTATOES

I threw these potatoes together on the fly last week for my book club dinner. They turned out to be pretty darn yummy! I love anything with roasted garlic (click here for a roasted garlic tutorial). I've had a few friends call for the recipe, so I thought I better get it posted.

So here ya go ladies...this is because I love you so much!!


ROASTED GARLIC ROSEMARY CHEESE POTATOES
(Mindi Original)

5 lb.s russet or Yukon Gold potatoes; peeled and cut to 1 inch cubes
salt
1 oz. fresh rosemary; rough chopped
8 oz. cream cheese; softened
1/2 C. butter (1 stick); softened
1 C. heavy whipping cream
2 heads roasted garlic
1 C. Parmesan cheese
1 C. mozzarella cheese

1. Place the cut potatoes into a large stock pot along with the rosemary. Fill the stock pot with water to cover the potatoes by about 1 inch. Salt the water with enough salt that the water taste a little like sea water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and allow the potatoes to cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
3. Drain the water, leaving the potatoes and Rosemary in the pot.
4. Roughly mash the potatoes with a hand masher.
5. Add the cream cheese, butter, cream, and roasted garlic. Continue to mash until everything is well incorporated. (You can mash the potatoes to the consistency of your choice. I like mine to be a little lumpy, but if you're not a big fan of lumps you can use an electric mixer or potato ricer to get the potatoes as smooth as possible.)
6. Now gently stir in the cheeses.
7. Scoop the potato mixture into a 9x13 pan or casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes and serve immediately.

8. If you want to make the potatoes ahead of time and cook later, cover with plastic rap and store in the refrigerator. When you're ready, bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS

If you live here in Utah, you're most likely familiar with Cafe Rio. It's a fresh Mexican restaurant that has very yummy food. Well the first time I ever ate at a Cafe Rio, I made the mistake of asking them if they had refried beans. I love refried beans! The response I got from the cute guy behind the counter was, "Miss, (I was a miss back then) If you had any idea what happens to the poor pinto bean in order to make it refried...you'd never eat refried beans again."

Honestly I'd never given the process of making refried beans much thought. But as I looked into it, most refried beans sold in stores and served in a large majority of your favorite Mexican restaurants, are loaded with fat or lard. I think that's what my Cafe Rio friend was talking about.

Well, needless to say I eventually came up with my own homemade refried beans. These do not contain lard and are full of flavor. They're also rather easy to make. I use this recipe to make all kinds of meals, dips, and side dishes. Some favorites include, tostadas, bean and cheese burritos, or 7 layer dip. But as I mentioned before, I love refried beans, so a big bowl topped with cheese works for me too.


HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS
(Mindi Original)

2 cans Pinto Beans; drained and rinsed
2 T. butter
1-2 cloves garlic; minced
1 small can green chili's
1 T. fresh ground pepper
3/4 C. chicken stock

1. In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a 2 minutes until the garlic is soft.
2. Add the beans, green chili's, pepper and chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil.
3. Turn the heat back down to medium and allow to simmer/boil for 10 minutes, or until the stock has reduced by half.
4. Take off the heat and blend, using an immersion blender, food processor, or stand blender. You can blend as much as you like, either making the beans very smooth, or leaving chucks of bean etc.

PINK PEPPERMINT SWIRL CUPCAKES

So today I had a craving and a desire to do a little experimenting. That hasn't happened in a very long time, so I thought I better jump at the chance. I'm really glad I did. These yummy beauties were definitely worth it! And it was fun to share them with some of my friends and neighbors. I wish I had enough to share with everyone!

As a bonus...the peppermint is to celebrate the opening of the Christmas Season, and the pink is a little nod to the baby girl arriving at our house soon!

PINK PEPPERMINT SWIRL CUPCAKES

(Mindi Original)

8 ounces cream cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix (I find this recipe works best if you use a name brand cake mix i.e Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker; not a generic brand)
1 cup water
2 t. peppermint extract

1 C. crushed peppermint candy canes (divided)

a touch of red gel food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12 count muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy.
3. Add the cake mix, water and peppermint and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.

4. Divided the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add 1/2 cup crushed candy canes as well as the gel color to half the batter.

5. Fill the muffin cups with half white batter and half pink batter. Using a tooth pick, lightly swirl the two batters together.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.
6. When cool, frost with vanilla bean frosting (recipe below), and sprinkle the remaining crushed candy canes on top.

VANILLA BEAN FROSTING
(Mindi Original)

1/2 C. butter softened (1 stick)
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 + C. milk
1-2 t. vanilla bean paste**

(You can also use regular vanilla if you don't have or don't want to purchase Vanilla Bean Paste)

1. In a mixing bowl combine the butter, vanilla bean paste and powdered sugar. Mix, starting slow, until somewhat combined.
2. Start by adding 1/4 C. milk and mix. Slowly add more milk, one or a tablespoons at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency*.

*For cupcakes and cake you want the frosting to be a little thicker, so it holds it's shape. If you are using the frosting recipe for cookies, Cinnamon rolls etc...you may want the frosting a little thinner.

**If you've never heard of or used this amazing product, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all about it. Vanilla Bean Paste is one of my all time favorite discoveries in baking. It can be used in any recipe that calls for regular vanilla, but it can also be used for those more difficult recipes that call for a real vanilla bean. It's much cheaper than real vanilla beans and much easier to use. It has a stronger richer vanilla flavor, and it leaves those fun vanilla flecks through out your baked products. I've used it in ice cream, whipped cream, cakes, frosting's, sauces, cookies etc... Locally I buy mine at William Sonoma. You can also purchase it on-line. I promise it's worth it!

EASY MAC & CHEESE

When I think about an easy lunch for my toddler I often go straight for the "blue box". It's a staple in most pantry's or food storage and a go-to favorite of mom's everywhere. But...

Recently I've changed my tune and I'm hoping to change yours too. This recipe, start to finish, takes no more time, is a lot healthier, and way yummier for mom's and kiddo's alike. You will have to dirty one additional pot, and grate your own cheese. But these simple steps, I promise not more time consuming, will be sooooo worth it!


EASY MAC & CHEESE
(Mindi Original)

1 T. butter
1 T. flour
1/2 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. whole or 2% Milk
1-2 C. sharp cheddar (or cheese or combination of cheese's you like*)

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 lb. pasta of choice

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.

2. While the pasta is cooking make the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the flour to form a rough (paste).

3. Allow the rough to cook for a couple minutes, then add the chicken stock and milk while whisking. Bring to a boil whisking until the sauce reaches a gravy consistency.

4. Add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thick. (Add the cheese about 1/2 cup at a time, until the sauce has the flavor you like.)

5. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

6. Toss the cheese sauce with the pasta and serve immediately.

7. Serves 4.

*You can use any melty cheese you like or even combine cheese for additional flavors. Reese loves the plain cheddar, but when I make this for our family I often use cheddar and Parmesan, or Italian cheese blend.

**As an additional side note, this dish can easily become a meal by adding 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, or even ham.

OLIVE OIL PARMESAN BLACK PEPPER POPCORN

I love love love popcorn. It's definitely my "go to" savory treat. Watching my calories I try to satisfy most my cravings with the low-fat microwave kind...but every now and then when I really feel like indulging, I make the real stuff. You know...the old school on the stove kind. It's the only kind my mom made when we were growing up. Most the time I just use olive oil and a little sea salt, but when I really feel fancy I make this stuff. And it's always worth it!

(You may notice in my picture the cheese didn't quite melt onto the popcorn, but that's because I had a 2 year old emergency right when I was taking the popcorn off the stove and I added the cheese after the popcorn had cooled. It was still really good. But I promise if you add the cheese right away, it's melts great.)

OLIVE OIL PARMESAN BLACK PEPPER POPCORN
(Mindi Original)

1/4 C. olive oil
1/2 C. popcorn corn kernels
fresh ground black pepper to taste
sea salt to taste
1/4 C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot with a lid (at least 2 qt.), or stock pot with a lid, add the olive oil and popcorn kernels.
2. Place the lid on the pot and put the pot over high heat.
3. Allow to heat until the you start to hear sizzling and the popcorn start to pop, then reduce the heat to medium/high.
4. Watch the pot carefully and allow all the popcorn to pop. Once the popping slows down or stops, take the popcorn off the heat. Let it rest for about a minute (with lid on), then take the lid off and poor into a large bowl.
5. Immediately toss in the cheese, salt and pepper. Start with about 1 or 2 teaspoons of salt & pepper then add more to taste. (Make sure you add the cheese first when the popcorn is the most hot. This will allow the cheese to melt a bit and adhere to the popcorn.)

ALMOND JOY BUNT CAKE

There's nothing I love more than taking a favorite candy bar and turning it into a baked good!

ALMOND JOY BUNT CAKE
(Mindi Original)

8 ounces cream cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1 t. coconut Extract
1 C. shredded coconut
3/4 C. chopped raw almonds (divided)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a bunt pan.
2. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy.
3. Add the cake mix, water and coconut extract and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the coconut and 1/2 cup of the almonds and mix until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the bunt pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Invert the the bunt cake onto a cooling rack.
6. While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate ganache. (recipe below)
7. When the cake is cooling, top with the ganache and additional 1/4 cup chopped almonds.

For the Ganache:
12 oz. dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3 T. corn syrup
6 oz. heavy cream
1 t. vanilla

1. In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring the cream and corn syrup to a simmer.
2. Add the chocolate, remove from the heat and stir until the chocolate melts and the sauce comes together. Stir in the vanilla.
3. Allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes before pouring over the cake.

ROASTED VEGGIE CHICKEN LASAGNA

Can you tell I'm working on a theme here? Not really intentionally, more out of a need to utilize the plethora of veggies being harvested from my garden right now. This recipe was a 'middle of night, can't sleep, thinking about what to do with all my veggies' idea! I had several different ideas, but they morphed into lasagna...chicken lasagna...with roasted veggies!

So, you're probably going to look at this recipe and think it's too long, too involved and/or too hard. I'm not going to lie and tell you its one of those throw together super easy meals, but I assure you it isn't as time consuming or difficult as it may read. Minus the cooking time, all the prep took me less than an hour. I would call this a 'Sunday dinner' or 'special occasion' recipe. And I promise you, it's worth a little work. It was delicious!!

ROASTED VEGGIE CHICKEN LASAGNA
(Mindi Original)

For the Veggies:
1 small yellow squash
1 small zucchini
1 small sweet potato
5 button mushrooms
½ red onion
3-4 small tomatoes (home grown or roma)
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

1. Dice all the veggies into ¼ inch cubes.
2. Spread onto a large baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.
4. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 30 minute. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you prepare the sauce for the Lasagna.

For the chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1-2 qt. water
2 t. salt
2 bay leaves
½ C. lemon juice

1. Put everything in a large stock pot. Chicken can be frozen.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove from heat, drain and allow chicken to cool. When cool, shred with a fork.

For the Sauce:
¼ C. butter
4-6 cloves garlic
¼ C. flour
1 C. heavy cream
2 C. chicken stock
1 C. Parmesan cheese
Prepared shredded chicken from above
Salt & Pepper

1. In a larges sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the garlic and allow to cook over low heat until the garlic starts to brown slightly.
2. Add the flour to form a rough.
3. Add the cream and stock. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
4. As the sauce begins to thicken, add the cheese and chicken.
5. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

For the Lasagna:
1 recipe roasted veggies
1 recipe sauce
12 lasagna noodles; cooked aldente, drained and dried
2-3 C. mozzarella cheese

1. Layer the lasagna into a 9x13 dish, sprayed with cooking spray, as follows:

Tiny bit of sauce on the bottom
4 noodles
1/3 veggies
1/3 sauce
cheese
4 noodles
1/3 veggies
1/3 sauce
cheese
4 noodles
1/3 veggies
1/3 sauce
cheese

2. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

*For you non-meat eaters out there...Lisa...wink, wink...just leave the chicken out of the sauce and this will still be super yummy! You can also use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

Since I already skipped out on you for a week...I decided a Monday Moments wasn't necessary! Let's get to the recipes already!! Right??

So here it is! Apparently this is the best thing I've ever made; according to my husband anyway! He really didn't want me to share this with you, but I must. We love it, however... we are big pizza fans...so what's not to love!

This particular night I made a pepperoni, olive, and bell pepper pizza...but I'm sure just about any topping would taste fantastic with this sauce. This week I'm going to try a veggie pizza and possibly a plain cheese. I'll let you know how it goes.

My dough recipe is HERE, but like I always say...if you don't have time, just use a loaf of frozen Rhodes dough. It works like a charm.


MINDI'S BEST EVER PIZZA SAUCE

(Mindi Original)

2 T. olive oil
4 large or 6 regular cloves garlic; minced
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 C. fresh basil (you could use 2 T. dried, but I highly recommend fresh)
½ C. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 T. balsamic Vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. red pepper flakes

1. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
2. In a food processor or blender combine the cooked garlic, along with the olive oil and all other ingredients.
3. Pulse or blend until everything is well combined; 2-3 minutes.
4. Spread over pizza crust or divide into servings and freeze.
5. Makes 4 cups.

*If you don’t have a blender or food processor, dice the basil really fine and stir everything to combine. Your sauce will be a little chunkier but it will still taste amazing!

*I usually use about 1 C. of sauce per pizza. But depending on your taste for sauce and the size of your pizzas, you may need more or less.

PINK LEMONADE CHEESECAKE

When I was in high school, my favorite after school snack was pretzels with a big glass of cold pink lemonade...no joke. I love the combination. At the time I also loved to make this yummy pink lemonade pie. It was so easy...a combination of pink lemonade concentrate with a tub of whipped topping, frozen in a graham cracker crust. I had made it in one of my cooking classes at school and thought it was the greatest recipe ever.

Fast forward 20 plus years to last month when my Cuisine at Home magazine arrived and to my surprise...what did I find inside...the yummy pink lemonade frozen pie recipe. I hadn't thought about that recipe for years! Crazy! Only Cuisine at Home had the ingenious idea of using a pretzel crust instead of graham crackers! Brilliance at it's best. All I could think about was high school and the yummy combo of pretzels with pink lemonade!

So all this talk about a frozen pink lemonade pie and you would think that's the recipe I'm posting. But it's not...sorry if I got your hopes up. Instead I was inspired to take my own twist and turn the frozen pink lemonade into cheesecake...with a pretzel crust.

I'll probably post the frozen pie at some point. But you gotta try this version! It was pretty sweet...and tart too!

PINK LEMONADE CHEESECAKE
(Mindi Original)

Crust:
1 C. crushed pretzels
¼ C. granulated sugar
¼ C. butter melted

Cheesecake:
¾ C. granulated sugar
3 – 8 oz. packages cream cheese; softened
1 C. Pink Lemonade concentrate (use 1 cup of the can and reserve the extra ½ cup)
4 eggs
½ C. all purpose flour
½ C. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
red food coloring (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pray a 10” spring form pan with cooking spray.
3. Combine the crushed pretzels, sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of the spring form pan. Be sure to press evenly. Place pan into the freezer.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and cream cheese on medium-high speed until well blended; about 3-4 minutes.
5. Blend in the pink lemonade concentrate. Then add the eggs one at a time incorporating each egg before you add the next.
6. Add the flour, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
7. Add a couple drops red food coloring and stir to incorporate. (optional)
8. Pour the batter into the spring form pan.
9. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and let the cake cool in the oven for 2 hours.
10. Remove and refrigerate for an additional 4-6 hours before serving.
11. If you like, serve with pink lemonade glaze. (see recipe below)


PINK LEMONADE GLAZE

½ C. Pink Lemonade concentrate
1 T. corn starch
red food coloring (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Reduce to medium heat and allow to boil for 5-7 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. (The syrup will thicken and set up as it cools.)
5. Serve by drizzling over each slice of cheesecake.

HONEY SOY CHICKEN

I think I've over-herbed my family these last few weeks. Is over-herbed a word or acceptable phrase?? If it is, the definition would be...cooking every meal with basil, mint, chives or a combination of any or all of the above. I guess it's a side affect of growing said herbs in my little garden. They are growing like weeds and I feel bad letting any go to waste. As a side note, if you are one of my neighbors or live close by, feel free to come pillage from my garden...there is plenty to go around.

To take a little brake from the herb fest, I decided to go Asian for a night and came up this yummy concoction. It was delicious! I hope you enjoy!

HONEY SOY CHICKEN
(Mindi Original)

For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ C. honey
¼ C. soy sauce
½ C. olive or Canola Oil
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

For the sauce:
4 T. honey
1 T. soy sauce

2-3 T. toasted sesame seeds

1. Mix together the honey, soy sauce, oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Add the chicken and marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 6.
2. About 30 minutes before you plan to cook the chicken make the sauce by combining the honey and soy sauce. Stir until the honey dissolves into the soy sauce. Set aside.
3. If you don’t want to purchase toasted sesame seeds, you can toast your own by placing them in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir the seeds until they start to brown and become aromatic.
4. Grill your chicken until desired doneness. With the honey in the marinate you will get some charring, but don’t worry the chicken will still be yummy.
5. After grilling, drizzle the with the honey sauce and top with toasted sesame seeds.
6. Serve with Rice. Serves 4.

RANCH CHICKEN TORTELLINI SALAD

When you love to cook, you get inspiration in just about everything and everywhere. Sometimes I'm eating out and I'm inspired to recreate my meal at home. Sometimes I'm watching a cooking show or reading a cooking magazine and I get idea's about food combinations, flavors, unique ingredients etc...and I I'm inspired to try something new. Some times I'm just at a loss for dinner idea's and I open my pantry and play my own version of Door Knock Dinners...

...by the way, does anyone remember that show. A chef would be lucky to knock on my door. I always have full pantry and freezer. The possibilities would be endless...

Anyway, we were discussing inspiration. So this dish was inspired by my good friend Lisa. she brought a really yummy tortellini salad to our 4th of July BBQ. Believe it or not, I had never cooked tortellini before. I've eaten it in restaurants, but never cooked it or had it at home. Lisa's salad was so good, I just had to do a little experimenting of my own. This is what I came up with.

I'm a big fan of tortellini now and plan to try a few more ideas in the near future....stay tuned.


RANCH CHICKEN TORTELLINI SALAD
(Mindi Original)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. red wine vinegar
4 T. olive oil
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 lb. cheese tortellini; cooked to package directions and set aside (I use Bertolli)
½ C. roasted pine nuts (optional)
½ C. basil; rough chopped
½ C. Parmesan or Asiago Cheese; grated
2 large Roma tomatoes; diced (or one pkg. grape tomatoes; sliced in half)
1 C. Ranch Dressing (I make Hidden Valley, but feel free to use what ever brand you prefer.)

1. In a zip lock bag or bowl, combine the chicken, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
2. Grill the chicken, then allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice thin and set aside.
3. Cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain, and set aside to cool.
4. When the chicken and the pasta are cool, Toss together and add the nuts, basil, cheese, tomatoes and dressing. Mix until well combined.
5. Eat immediately or allow to chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour. If you’re making it the night before and plan to take it to a party or event, you may want to wait to add the dressing until right before serving, or you can just add a little more dressing later.

SUMMER SKILLET CORDON BLUE

My husbands favorite meal is Chicken Cordon Blue, and although I can make a really good Chicken Cordon Blue, if you ask my husband I don't make it enough. Can you blame me...it's not the easiest dish to make. It's really time consuming, and pretty heavy in my opinion. So, shortly after my husband and I got married I created this version. It has all the flavors of a traditional Chicken Cordon Blue, plus some fresh-from-the-garden additions for summer. It's made in one skillet and comes together in about 20 minutes.

If you're a chicken cordon blue fan as well, I think you'll like it. You can also try my Chicken Cordon Blue Vegetable Casserole, for another easy twist on this classic dish.

One of these days, probably on a special occasion, I'll get around to making the real thing. Next time I do...I promise I'll share it!

SUMMER SKILLET CORDON BLUE

(Mindi Original)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 T. olive oil

salt & pepper

4-8 slices deli ham (My favorite is smoked ham, sliced thin. I put about 2 slices on each chicken breast.)

12 fresh basil leaves

8 fresh tomato slices (about 2 Roma tomatoes)

1 C. swiss or mozzarella cheese; grated (or 4 thick slices)

1. In a large skillet heat the olive oil or medium-high heat.

2. Season the chicken breasts with salt & pepper.

3. Sear the chicken in the hot oil, searing for about 4 minutes per side. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover and allow the chicken to cook through. Depending on the thickness of your chicken, it could take anywhere from 5-10 additional minutes. If your chicken breast are on the thick side, you may need to add a couple tablespoons of water or chicken stock to the pan.

4. About 2-3 minutes before the chicken in done, remove the lid and top each chicken breast with ham, tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and cheese. Cover and allow to finish cooking.

5. Serve immediately.

6. Serves 4.

SPICY LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLA'S

Years ago when I was living in downtown Salt Lake, there was this hole in the wall "fresh Mex" little dive that my roommate and I absolutely loved. This was years before Cafe Rio, Bajio, Costa Vida etc... It was the first "fresh Mex" place I personally had ever come across. I thought it was kind of genius...Mexican food that was made fresh in front of you, not greasy, any way you liked it. They had homemade tortilla's, fresh grilled chicken, steak or pork, amazing salads, taco's, burritos, and my personal favorite...the quesadilla's. They were so simple; not a lot of ingredients. The chicken was tangy and juicy; full of flavor. They really didn't need much more.

We were a little obsessed, my roommate and I...and that's why we cried when they went out of business. Who would supply us with fresh made tortillas and juicy yummy chicken?? Cafe Rio was still a few years away... Our poor little dive was ahead of it's time. I really wish I could remember the name.

Anyway, that's why I had to come up with this recipe. It's about as close as I could get. Just be sure not to over cook the chicken. It needs to be juicy, not dry. I hope you love!!

SPICY LIME CHICKEN QUESADILLA'S

(Mindi Original)

For the Chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

zest of 1 lime

juice of 1 lime (about 1/4 C.)

1/2 C. hot sauce

1/2 C. canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1. Place the chicken in a large zip lock bag. Add all the ingredients for the marinate.

2. Seal the bag and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 6.

3. Grill the chicken. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then slice thin on a 90 degree angle.

4. Set the chicken aside.

For the Quesadilla's:

grilled tortilla shells

sliced chicken

mozzarella cheese

hot sauce (optional)

1. Assemble the quesadilla's by layering a tortilla shell, cheese, chicken, a splash of hot sauce (optional), then topped with another tortilla shell.

2. Place the quesadilla's in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

3. Serve with guacamole, salsa & sour cream.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI WITH BALSAMIC & CORN ON THE COB WITH HERB BUTTER

That's right...today you get two for the price of one. Mainly because these aren't so much recipe's as they are side dish idea's. We love to grill in summer. It's easy, fast and cuts down on the dishes; my personal favorite!

These are also two great idea's for utilizing your awesome garden harvest or farmer's market finds.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI WITH BALSAMIC

4 Zucchini's; sliced in half

1 T. Olive Oil

1/4 C. balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper

1. Brush the zucchini halves with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.

2. Place on the grill.

3. Baste with balsamic vinegar as you grill.

4. Cook until your desired doneness. I usually cook mine for about 5 minutes. I like them kind of crispy on the outside and nice and juicy on the inside.

BOILED OR GRILLED CORN ON THE COB WITH HERB BUTTER

Corn on the Cob (as many as you want)

Herb Butter (Click for the recipe)

There are a couple different ways you can cook this yummy side.

1. Boil your corn on the cob in water with a couple tablespoons of sugar. The sugar will help draw out the sweetness of the corn. Boil for about 10 minutes.

2. Take the corn out of the water. Using a sharp knife, cut the corn off the cob. I've learned a great trick for cutting corn off the cob...place a small bowl or tea-cup inside a large bowl. Rest your corn on the small bowl and cut. The larger bowl catches all the kernels with a lot less mess.

3. Toss the hot corn with herb butter. Amount will be determined by how much corn you cook. Add to your liking.

You can also grill your corn....

(Sorry I don't have any pictures of this process...hopefully I can explain it in words.)

1. Pull the husks back from your corn, being careful not to pull it completely off.

2. Remove the silk.

3. Lather the corn with herb butter to taste.

4. Pull the husks back over the corn, twisting the top to close.

5. Place the corn straight on the grill and allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes on low heat.

6. When the corn is done, remove the husks and enjoy!

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PASTA WITH HERB BUTTER AND CHEESE

This is going to be a little different week. On Wednesday I'm headed to Moab for our big "Nordfelt" reunion, so I'll only have 3 posts this week. But I have a little something different. It's going to be a week of sides. I've had several friends tell me they've been stumped on side dish idea's lately. So I thought I'd put together a few idea's.

This is something I came up with to utilize the herbs from my garden. It would be a great side dish to grilled chicken, fish or steak.


PASTA WITH HERB BUTTER AND CHEESE
(Mindi Original)

1/2 lb. penne pasta or pasta of choice
2 T. herb butter, or more if you like (see recipe below)
1/2 C. Parmesan or Asiago Cheese; grated

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Toss the pasta with the herb butter and cheese.
3. Eat immediately.
4. Serves 4.

HERB BUTTER
(Mindi Original)

1 C. butter; softened (2 sticks)
1/2 C. fresh basil leaves
1/2 C. fresh mint leaves
1/2 C. fresh chives; chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

1. Place the softened butter in a food processor, along with the herbs, salt & pepper.
2. Blend or pulse until everything is well incorporated.
3. Place the herb butter in an air tight container and place in the refrigerator until you're ready to use.
4. The butter will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze for up to 6 months.

SPINACH BASIL PASTA

Anyone in the mood for some escargot? Because my garden has been infested with snails. They ate all my zucchini and squash plants. I've now replanted for the 3rd time. We finally figured out the problem and put down some snail killing stuff. As you can see, I'm real technical with my gardening vocabulary. Anyway, we woke up two days ago to dozens of dead snail along the perimeter of the garden. Yesterday morning there were about 10 more. Yikes...I've become a snail murderer. Hopefully my little garden is safe now.

In good garden news, our meal last night included the very first harvest of our herb plants. They seem to be snail free. I love cooking with fresh herbs, and when I can grow them myself it saves me quite a bit of money. Who doesn't love that?

SPINACH BASIL PASTA
(Mindi Original)

½ lb. pasta (bowtie, penne, what ever you like)
1 T. olive oil
1 large or 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
½ C. chopped fresh basil
¼ C. chopped fresh mint leaves
salt & pepper
½ C. heavy cream or half & half
½ C. grated Asiago cheese (you can also use Parmesan)
1 egg
5 C. fresh spinach leaves

1. Cook the pasta according to the package. Drain the pasta and set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine the cream, egg, and cheese. Whisk and set aside.
3. In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt & pepper and sauté’ over medium high heat.
4. When the chicken is about half way cooked, add the lemon zest, juice, basil and mint. Finish sautéing until the chicken is done.
5. Turn the heat to medium and add the cream mixture. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the cooked pasta and the spinach. I usually add the spinach about 1 cup at a time, stirring until the spinach wilts into the pasta.
7. Once all the ingredients are combined, serve immediately.
8. Serves 4 people.

CHORIZO BLACK BEAN SKILLET

I have always wanted to try chorizo, so a few weeks ago I decided to do just that. I put together this little one skillet meal. It was so easy and came together really quickly. Both my husband and I really liked it. The chorizo was a little more fatty than I had expected, but I just drained off the fat, like I would bacon. We loved the smoky flavor of the dish and the creaminess of the Queso Fresco. It was definitely a success!

CHORIZO BLACK BEAN SKILLET
(Mindi Original)

14 oz. chorizo; skin removed, diced
3 C. cooked rice
1 Can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 Can Cilantro Lime diced tomatoes (or Mexican style diced tomatoes)
salt & pepper (optional)
½ C. rough chopped cilantro
1-2 C. Queso Fresco cheese; crumbled

1. In a large skilled sauté the chorizo until all the fat has been rendered. Once the chorizo has been cooked, drain off all the fat.
2. Return the chorizo to the skillet. Add the rice, beans and tomatoes, stirring to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
3. When everything is nice and hot, stir in the cheese and cilantro. Continue to cook until the cheese melts, about 3-4 minutes. It won’t melt like regular cheese. Queso Fresco melts more like a fresh mozzarella. It will just get nice and soft.
4. Serve immediately. If you like, top with some additional fresh cilantro and crumbled cheese.
5. Serves 6.

BALSAMIC HONEY LIME MARINATE

I have a love hate relationship with summer. I really do love summer and we are having the best summer. Long hours playing in the sun, long days at the pool, vacations planned, a few camping trips coming up, and many many barbeque's.

But at the same time I'm feeling so overwhelmed. I have so much on my plate, so many obligations. After all, I am the mom. Who do you think plans, organizes, and executes all the summer fun? Mom does, of course! And that's the part I really hate some times.

I know it's worth it! Summer is worth it! I mean this is what I've been waiting for all winter. I just need to commit to the love, despite all the hard work. Because there really are sooo many things to love!

Like this recipe for one! I like to grill all year round, but it so much more fun in the summer. The last couple weeks I've been experimenting with all kinds of marinates, and this is one we have deemed a new favorite! It is absolutely amazing!! You really really need to try it.

I cubed my steak, marinated it, and made shish kabobs with fresh veggies. I can't wait until the veggies can be fresh from my garden.

BALSAMIC HONEY LIME MARINATE
(Mindi Original)

½ C. honey
½ C. lime
½ C. Balsamic Vinegar
½ C. canola oil
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Wisk to combine.
2. Poor over steak, chicken or pork.
3. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours or over night.
4. Grill meat accordingly.

BERRY CHEESECAKE TART

He's been the sugar to my spice for 3 whole years!

Today is my anniversary! Yea!! Three whole years of marital bliss...well...mostly bliss. I know three years isn't very long in the grand scheme of things, but boy have our lives changed in these three little years. In many ways (all good ways), I feel like I've been married forever. I can't even imagine life without my husband any more. It's a blessing when you can find someone with whom you share just enough similarities and just enough differences that you fit each other like a puzzle.

Last night I went to dinner with some of my girlfriends, and as we were all sharing stories and experiences from our lives I found myself dwelling on this whole concept of marriage. It's fascinating to me the give and take, the ebb and flow, and the resulting balance each couple finds in their own relationship. I feel very lucky to have found my missing piece and to now be building our life together. I know it will only get better and better with time.

I look back on this picture of us on our wedding day...we were so happy and in love and yet I don't think we had any clue what love really was, or what we were in for. I know we have a long journey ahead of us...and Arnold, I'm so glad I have you to hold my hand along the way! I love you!

So on my anniversary I had to post a dessert....in honor of my sugar loving, or should I say sugar addict, man. I whipped this little dessert up on Sunday and I swear I could have eaten the whole thing myself! I didn't...I had to share it with my husband, brother and little r...dang it...they all loved it too.

If you're not a berry fan, you could also top this tart with chocolate chunks, swirl in some caramel sauce, or use any variety of fruit that you love. The creativity could be endless!

I had to post this particular picture. I love little r in the background. The truth is, every picture I take, little r is near inches off camera...patiently waiting for a bite. She is my little side kick and photography assistant. I just love that little face!

BERRY CHEESECAKE TART
(Mindi Original)

1 sheet puff pastry
1 10 oz. bag frozen mixed berries (about 2 C.)
1 T. sugar
1 8 oz. pkg. Neufchatel low fat cream cheese; room temperature
2 T. lemon juice
½ C. sugar
¼ C. flour
1 egg

1. Bring the sheet of puff pastry to room temperature by letting it defrost on the counter for about 40 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the berries with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Allow to defrost for at least 20 minutes or so.
3. In a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar. Mix until well combined.
4. Add the egg and the flour and mix again for 2-3 minutes.
5. Roll out the puff pastry to about 16x11 inches.
6. Place the pasty on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the puff pastry, leaving about a 2 inch edge around the outside.
8. Dollop the berries on top of the cream cheese mixture.
9. Take the edges of the puff pasty and fold up and over the cream cheese mixture about 1 to 2 inches.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minute or until the tart is golden brown.

UPDATE:
I demoed this yummy desert on Studio 5, so if you like, you can click below and watch.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com