Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, and Green Olivida

Happy Memorial Day! This month for Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned to Amy's blog, Fearless Homemaker. I absolutely loved reading through her blog. She seems like such a fun girl…and you have to read about her surprise wedding. How awesome! After bookmarking several recipes, it all came down to this pasta salad, in honor of the kickoff to outdoor grilling and picnic meals! I did swap green olives for a mixture of Greek olives, because that is all that my grocery store had in their olive bar container. (In the process of making this pasta salad, I discovered that a cherry pitter does NOT make a good olive pitter like the woman at the kitchen store told me!) When all was said and done, this pasta salad was every bit as good as I imagined it would be. In fact, I'm looking forward to having another bowl this afternoon, before I walk down to my corner to watch the Memorial Day Parade! Thanks for a great recipe, Amy! 

1 Garlic Clove, peeled
2 cups Pitted Green Olives, coarsely chopped and divided
3 tablespoons Capers, drained
1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes 
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 pound Pasta (I used gemelli)
2 pints Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved (I only used 1)
8 ounces Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls
2 tablespoons Fresh Oregano, chopped
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Put the garlic clove in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add 1 cup of chopped olives, capers, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, and crushed red pepper flakes. Pulse about 6 times to chop coarsely. With the machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup of oil, forming a coarse puree (almost like tapenade texture). Transfer the olive mixture to a bowl. Stir in the remaining cup of olives and season to taste with salt and pepper. (This mixture can be made up to 3 days ahead of time, just cover and refrigerate). Cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and allow to cool (I ran my pasta under cold water to cool it down). Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the pasta and toss to coat (I skipped this). Add the olive mixture, tomatoes, mozzarella, and oregano to the pasta and toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. 

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Spicy Kale Stuffed Shells

Not that rain has ever stopped us from grilling in the past, but last week, rather than grill while it rained, we decided to make pasta. I know that pasta is a little on the heavy side, and it has been warm here, but sometimes, pasta is just the perfect comfort food on a rainy day. As soon as I saw this recipe posted on Pink Parsley, I was intrigued by the use of cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Until making this dish, I had never had cottage cheese. Once, I accidentally bought it, thinking that it was yogurt. When I opened it up for lunch at work, I saw the curds, and thinking that it was just yogurt that had gone bad, I threw it out. It was only after I got home and looked for the date on the other "yogurt" in the fridge that I realized it was actually cottage cheese. I think I was so grossed out by that whole experience, that I let it sit in the fridge until it was way past the expiration date, then threw it away. Now that I have tried cottage cheese, however, I realize that I actually enjoy it! These shells were delicious! I cooked up an entire box of shells, and it ended up being way too much. Next time, I plan to double the filling so that I can make a double batch and freeze some for later!

8 ounces Jumbo Shells
3/4-1 pound Kale, washed, stems removed, and roughly chopped
2 cups Cottage Cheese, low-fat
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley or Basil, minced
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
16 ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper 

Boil the shells according to package directions, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kale and a splash of water, stirring until the kale is wilted and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the kale to a strainer, and set aside. Return the pan to the stove, add the oil, and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, wrap the kale in a lint free kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Chop into small pieces and set aside. Strain the cottage cheese through a strainer, pressing to remove as much liquid as possible (mine didn't have much liquid to strain out of it). Transfer the strained cheese to a medium bowl and stir in 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella, the herbs, and the kale. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper, to taste. To assemble the shells, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a greased 9-inch pie plate or square baking dish. Use a spoon to fill each shell with the kale-cottage cheese mixture, then arrange them in a single layer in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

bought a bunch of asparagus with the intention of making a quiche of sorts. Somehow, it became the meal that kept getting pushed back day after day. It got to the point where I had to use the asparagus or toss it, and that is exactly when I came across this recipe on Joy the Baker. I did end up having to trim a little more off the asparagus spears than I would have liked to, but they were able to be salvaged. And this recipe was the perfect way to salvage them! I did switch up the cheese because the gruyere was $12 at my grocery store, but that didn't matter because any kind of cheese is delicious in my eyes! We paired these tarts with steak and stuffed mushrooms for dinner, but I had one on its own for lunch the next day and it was the perfect amount of food. These might even make a great bite-sized appetizer, too!

1 sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, thawed but still cold
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups Gruyere Cheese, finely grated (I used grated swiss)
1 pound Slender Asparagus
Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Balsamic Reduction (bring balsamic to a boil in a saucepan, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened)

Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and slice into 6 rectangles. Gently press each rectangle with your fingers, flattening slightly. With a small paring knife, score a 1/4 inch border along the inside of each rectangle (oops, I skipped this step, but it worked just fine). Arrange the rectangles 1 inch apart on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Brush the top of each pastry with the beaten egg, then sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Top with a generous sprinkling of grated cheese. Press 5-6 asparagus spears into the cheese. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with more black pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown and the asparagus is cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle the top with balsamic reduction, if desired.

Zucchini Frittata

This past Saturday was island planting day on our street. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend to do it, either! That morning, I woke up to the birds chirping outside my bedroom window, and a beautiful summer-like breeze blowing in. I got up about an hour before my alarm went off, went downstairs, and started chopping vegetables for this frittata, which I found on Steamy Kitchen. It came together quite nicely, and it was a great aroma for Joel to wake up to. I ate my frittata as a slice, while Joel chose to make this into a breakfast sandwich by putting his piece between a toasted bagel. Either way, we had a relaxing, hearty breakfast to give us energy to play in the dirt with our neighbors!

1 Onion, sliced
3 tablespoons Butter
1/8 teaspoon Sugar
12 ounces Zucchini (I used 1 large)
Salt and Pepper
5 Eggs
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Tomato, sliced
4 ounces Goat Cheese

Add the butter to a nonstick pan over medium heat. When it starts to bubble, add the onion and sugar. Saute the onion until it is caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. While the onion is sautéing, slice the zucchini very thinly (1/8" thick). Cut the tomato into 1/4" thick slices. When the onion is ready, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and has just started to brown. In a large bowl, beat the eggs along with the thyme. Once the zucchini is cooked, pour the eggs into the pan. Top with the sliced tomatoes and dot with crumbles of goat cheese. Cook for 6 minutes. Place the pan under a preheated broiler (with the rack set 8-10 inches below the heating element). Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Let the frittata cool for about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Double Coconut Muffins {Vegan}

I've never cooked with coconut oil. I've been wanting to give it a try, but I couldn't justify spending almost $10 for a jar when I didn't have anything specific to use it in. Then, Bridget posted these Smitten Kitchen muffins on her blog, The Way The Cookie Crumbles. I saw the recipe and moments later, found myself pulling my car out of the driveway, driving to the grocery store! To this day, I've only used the 8 tablespoons that this recipe calls for, but you know what? I have absolutely no regrets! I just look at that as a reason to make these muffins again…then again and again. They are a bit more dense than most other muffins that I've had, but they are very delicious! If you like coconut, you will not be disappointed with this recipe!

8 tablespoons Virgin Coconut Oil
3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Greek Yogurt, room temperature
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla

In a small saucepan, warm the coconut oil just until it melts; do not heat it until it is hot. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, coconut oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Add the coconut oil mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Divide the batter among 10 muffin cups that have been lined with paper liners or sprayed with nonstick spray. Top each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of the remaining shredded coconut. Bake at 375 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack; cool for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan. 

Pasta Primavera

It's no secret that we are carb lovers! I could eat pasta just about every night and I don't think I'd ever get sick of it, as long as the toppings were switched up every so often. Now that spring has sprung, the thought of light pasta dishes have begun to entice me. When I came across this recipe on Elly Says Opa, I knew it was the perfect pasta dish for this time of the year. The addition of mounds of roasted vegetables makes me feel less guilty about eating the pasta itself. I look forward to the day I can make this again using only vegetables grown in my garden rather than having to use all store-bought produce!

1 Carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 Zucchini, cut into thin strips
1 Summer Squash, cut into thin strips
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin strips
1 Yellow Pepper, cut into thin strips
1 small Onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
8 ounces Pasta
15 Grape Tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated

Toss the carrot, zucchini, squash, peppers, and onion onto a baking sheet along with the herbs de Provence and olive oil. Roast at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes, then stir in the garlic and roast for an additional 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and begin to brown. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta, vegetables, and tomatoes to combine. Stir in as much reserved pasta water as necessary to moisten the pasta. Add the cheese, as well as the salt and pepper, to taste. 

Open-Faced Spicy Turkey Guac Melt

I've mentioned before that I don't think too quickly on my feet in the kitchen. Even though I love to cook, I still don't completely trust my judgement or my creativity. However, one day shortly after Easter, I took inventory in the fridge and tried to come up with something on the fly, mostly because I didn't feel like running to the store. We had turkey, cheese, guacamole, bread, and tomatoes. I figured, how bad could that be? Not bad at all, let me tell you. As simple as this sandwich is, I was pretty impressed with the flavor! Because of it's simplicity, I wasn't sure I wanted to post it, but it is my blog after all, so I guess I get to write the rules, and this sandwich was delicious, so I guess that was an easy decision! 

2 Thick Slices of Bread
Guacamole
Tomato, sliced
1/2 cup Pepper-Jack Cheese, shredded
4-6 Slices of Turkey

Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil. Spread guacamole on each piece of bread and top with tomato slices. Fold 2-3 pieces of turkey onto each piece of bread, then top with a handful of shredded cheese. Place the sandwiches on the cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Place them under the broiler for the last 2 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. 

Veggie Enchiladas

This past weekend, I went out of town to a conference for my teaching sorority, where I received an award and was inducted as the new state treasurer. I had a good time, but I didn't sleep well on Friday night. The bed at the hotel felt like a pile of rocks! Though I was only gone for a total of about 36 hours, when I got home on Saturday night, I was just too exhausted to cook. We had hoped to catch up with the local taco truck for a Cinco de Mayo feast, but I checked their schedule and they weren't going to be around until after 11pm. Instead, we met up with a friend, ate gyro wraps on his porch, then stopped in to his girlfriend's "Derby de Mayo" party. It seemed like a fun party, but I was pretty much good for 1 beer and I was ready for bed. We were home and in bed by 10pm! I guess that's what happens when you don't get a good night's sleep! Anyway, on to the food. As soon as Nicole from Prevention RD posted this recipe, I couldn't wait to make it. I figured that since I missed out on a Mexican feast on Cinco de Mayo, I'd celebrate by eating these enchiladas on Seis de Mayo! They totally topped the taco truck meal I had planned on eating! For some reason, as I was getting ready to publish this post, I double checked my archives and noticed that I have already posted a vegetable enchilada recipe. However, this is slightly different, and way too delicious to not share, so here you go, a second vegetable enchilada recipe for you! 

For the Enchilada Sauce:
1 teaspoon Canola Oil
1/2 small Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon Chili Powder
1/2 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 (8 ounce) can Tomato Sauce
1/4 cup Water
Black Pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 

For the Filling:
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1/2 small Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 Red or Yellow Bell Pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small Zucchini, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
7 ounces (1/2 can) Black Beans, drained and rinsed 
1/3 cup Enchilada Sauce (see above)
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro, minced
1 (4 ounce) can Diced Green Chiles, optional

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and corn, and cook until slightly softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and black beans and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Take off of the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, cilantro, and green chiles.

To Assemble:
12 (6 inch) Tortillas (I used flour, but corn was recommended)
1 cup Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded

Spread about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce around the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. Evenly pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees until the enchiladas are heated through, about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese has melted, 3-5 more minutes. I also put mine under the broiler for about 2 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve immediately.  

French Macarons with Nutella Buttercream

During the summer of 2008, Joel and I took a European vacation which brought us to Paris. We met up with a friend while we were there and as we were walking down Champs-Elysées, she said we couldn't leave without stopping in to Ladurée for a treat. I remember seeing little sandwich cookies in a case with a line of at least 4 people deep waiting to get their hands on them. I had no idea what the big deal was about them. We left without even getting close enough to see the flavors that they were selling. Needless to say, until I had a blog, I had no idea what French Macarons were. However, they have been popping up all over the internet recently, and I've become a bit curious. A few weeks ago, Joel and I went up to Toronto for the day and while we were there, we discovered a cute little macaron boutique and decided to see what the fuss was all about. I immediately had a case of sticker shock when I saw the price--$2.50 for a cookie the size of a half-dollar?! Since I felt odd charging 1 single cookie, we bought a sampler pack of 6 different flavors, gave them a try, and was immediately surprised by how delicious they were! So, when I was assigned to Carrie's Sweet Life for the Secret Recipe Club style recipe swap this week, I knew right away that I was going to try this recipe for French Macarons, which she got from Martha Stewart. When I started the recipe, I was a bit annoyed with the sifting and piping. I was able to get enough for 12 regular sized sandwiches and 4 mini ones out of the batter. It seemed like an awful lot of work for such a small amount of cookies. However, when I took the pan out of the oven and discovered that my macarons had "feet", I was beyond excited and couldn't wait to give them a try. I whipped up a nutella buttercream instead of the Swiss meringue buttercream that Carrie made, and piped them onto the cookies. I made Joel try one first, and he told me they were perfect. He was right! I am impressed that they turned out as good as they did for my first time making them. I would love to try them again with different flavor combinations. Thanks, Carrie, for finally giving me a reason to give this recipe a try!

For the Macarons:
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
3/4 cup Almond Flour
2 large Egg Whites, at room temperature
Pinch of Cream of Tartar
1/4 cup Superfine Sugar (I made my own by buzzing regular sugar around in a food processor)

Pulse the confectioners' sugar and almond flour in a food processor until combined. Sift the mixture through a sieve 2 times. Preheat at the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium heat until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low and add the superfine sugar. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold until mixture is smooth and shiny. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain round tip. and pipe 3/4-inch rounds 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet, dragging the pastry tip to the side of the rounds rather than forming peaks. Tap the bottom of each sheet on the work surface to release any trapped air. Let the piped batter stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 1 sheet at a time, rotating half way through, until the macarons are crisp and firm, about 10 minutes. After each batch, increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce to 325 degrees. Let the macarons cool on sheets for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. If the macarons stick, spray water under the parchment on the hot sheet--the steam will help release the macarons. Sandwich 2 same-size macarons with 1 teaspoon of filling. Serve immediately, or stack between layers of parchment paper, wrap in plastic, and freeze for up to 3 months. 

For the Nutella Buttercream Filling (from Tracey's Culinary Adventures):
6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
1/4 cup Nutella
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 tablespoon Milk
1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar, sifted

In a medium sized bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and nutella until combined. Add the vanilla, milk, and confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until the powdered sugar is just about incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting is smooth.  

Meatball Subs with Caramelized Onions

I've had these subs bookmarked for a while now. Every time I try to run them by Joel, he makes a face and says something about how he isn't really a fan of meatball subs. However, a few weeks ago, I made meatballs to go with the spaghetti that we had for dinner, and he really enjoyed them. So this week, while I was planning our menu, I opened about 10 recipes, including this one, and had Joel pare them down. As soon as he saw these, he said "I definitely want the Smitten Kitchen subs!" For some reason, if he sees that the recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen, he's all over it. I can't say I blame him. Everything Deb makes looks awesome, and anything I've ever tried from her blog is delicious! I can't wait until October when her cookbook comes out! Anyway, about these subs…the meatballs are the best I've ever had! They are soft, but incredibly flavorful. They were delicious in a sub, but would have been perfect on top of a pile of spaghetti, too!

For the Meatballs:
4 Sub Rolls
2 pounds Ground Meat (I used meatloaf mix)
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
3/4 teaspoon Salt
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1teaspoon Onion Powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Egg
Olive Oil
4 cups Prepared Marinara Sauce (I used a jar)

Split the rolls and scoop out some of the insides to create a channel for the meatballs to rest in. Grind the bread you pulled out from the roll in the food processor to get about 1 1/3 cups of fresh breadcrumbs. Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl with  3/4 cups of warm water and all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil and sauce (and sub rolls). Combine with a fork (or your hands), until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs and arrange on a tray. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan with a lid. Brown the meatballs in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Be gentle, as these meatballs are soft. Transfer the meatballs to a paper-towel lined tray and continue with the remaining meatballs until they are all browned. Discard the oil and heat the marinara sauce in the sauté pan. Add the meatballs, cover, and simmer on low for 25-30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. 

For the Onions:
2 Yellow Onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and  sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Cook until they are tender, sweet, and a deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

For the Sub Assembly:
Arrange meatballs with sauce inside the hollowed-out roll(s). Drape the caramelized onions over the top and sprinkle with shredded cheese (I used Gruyere). Place subs under a broiler to melt the cheese.