portabella caps & potato packets

first off, i apologize for my absence these past few days.  a tree came down on our property and took out cable and internet.  comcast was just restored this morning : )


ok, post time.

gorgeous day = time to fire up the grill.  in my opinion, fresh grilled veggies are the perfect way to celebrate a summer evening, so the other night i decided to grill up some portabella caps, potato packets & peaches.  (just realized now the lovely alliteration that was our dinner : ) 

our simple grilled meal was summertime on a plate, and we thoroughly enjoyed every last bite.

here’s what went down:

portabellas

marinate 2 portabella caps (washed & dried) in ¼ cup italian dressing
grill on high, 4-5 minutes on each side, until caps are tender and delectable grill marks appear

potato packets

cut 1 potato, 1 zucchini and 2 large carrots into ½ inch cubes
toss veggies with 2 tbsp mustard (any kind), 1 tbsp mayo, 1 tsp chopped garlic, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper
divide veggies into 2-3 foil packets coated with olive oil and seal packets well so veggies don’t fall out while grilling
grill for 30-40 min until veggies are tender and lightly browned

peaches

2 peaches, halved
brush the cut surface with a bit of olive oil
grill for 3-4 min face down until grill marks caramelize

in addition to our veggie feast, i sautéed up some chicken sausage seasoned with feta and spinach.  the sweet peaches with the savory sausage were fabulous!

simple summertime goodness!  yum!.

quinoa with chicken sausage & veggies

last night for dinner, i was in the mood for something simple and fresh.  i had some zucchini and onion, found some quinoa (say keen-wa) in the pantry and took out some sundried tomato chicken sausage to defrost.

here's what you'll need (but feel free to improvise and use what you have handy)
serves 2

1/2 large zucchini
1/2 large onion
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
5 oz chicken sausage (links)
garden greens
red curry
fresh rosemary
olive oil
salt & pepper

1. saute veggies in a bit of olive oil until golden brown.  season with salt & pepper.

2. bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium pot.  add a few dashes of red curry.  add quinoa to boiling water, stir and reduce to simmer.  cook for 20 minutes or until water is absorb.

3. set veggies aside.  prep pan for chicken sausage by adding a bit of olive oil.  over medium heat, sear the chicken sausage on both sides to create a nicely browned crust.  add 1/4 cup water  to pan and cover.  allow sausage to continue cooking until cooked through (5+ minutes).

4. while chicken cooks, defrost peas in microwave.

5. once chicken is done, slice it into coins and toss it with veggies (zucchini, onion, peas) and rosemary.

when all is ready, serve quinoa topped with chicken sausage and veggies over a bed of garden greens. 

we topped ours with fresh tomato sauce and a bit of sharp provolone to add some zing!

other combos to consider:
- use a red pepper sausage and top with salsa and sour cream
- use an italian sausage and top with grated parmesan, herbs and olive oil
- try other veggies - peppers, carrots, shallots, broccoli, the sky's the limit!

bon appetit!.

carrot ribbon salad

this super simple salad is the perfect summer side.  (you like all the alliteration?  thank you, ap english.)  anyway, if you have 5 min, you can pull it together...and it's so pretty : )

2 large carrots
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp teriyaki
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic

makes 2 side dish servings

1. peel the outer layer off the carrots and toss it
2. keep peeling...and peeling...
3. toss the ribbons with the soy, teriyaki, oil and garlic
4. done!

i didn't have any (unfortunately) but fresh chopped chives would be awesome on this! 

we enjoyed our carrot ribbon salad along with homemade turkey burgers, sweet potato fries with chipotle salsa dipping sauce and sauteed onions & zucchini.

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egg cups

baked egg cups : )

last night i made a super easy (and yummy) dinner for craig and me.  these delicious little egg cups are perfect for breakfast or dinner and are so simple to prepare.

what you'll need...

1 muffin tin
6 eggs
6 slices of cold cuts (turkey or ham)
1/2 small onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 slice sharp provolone
cooking spray or olive oil mister
salt & pepper

assembling the cups

1. preheat oven to 375
2. chop onion and saute in olive oil.  add garlic.  season with salt & pepper.
3. spray 6 muffin cups with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking (fill unused cups 1/3 of way with water).
4. line sprayed cups with slices of cold cuts and crack 1 large egg into each lined cup.
5. season with salt & pepper and then top each cup with spoonful with onion/garlic mixture.
6. divide butter and provolone evenly and top each cup.
7. bake for approximately 15 minutes until tops are lightly browned, but yolks are still a little runny.
8. enjoy!!!  (fyi...you may need to loosen edges with a knife for easy removal from muffin tin.)

butter & provolone

serving size suggestions:  1 cup makes for a terrific breakfast with a slice of toast or bagel.  if you're making them for dinner serve with roasted veggies, baked rice or salad - i would eat 2, craig would eat 3 to give you an idea : )

top with butter & cheese

(and for you health nuts out there, they're only 125-150 calories per cup.).