Summer is officially coming to an end.  Labor Day weekend is upon us and that means those last cookouts before autumn rolls in.  I have to say I love Labor Day weekends not only because it’s a long weekend (and a much needed break from work) but because it means a number of other things.  Like college football season!! I know weird right?  Even though I didn’t go to a college with a football team there is nothing like college football to me.  I really look forward to the start of the season and this weekend it starts it all off.  Actually tonight started it off and it happen to be the night my husbands team was playing.  Go South Carolina!  It’s very likely that every weekend some sort of football will be watched, but I draw the line at NFL (sorry).  Now, another reason I love the Labor Day weekend is because it means cooler weather and some of my favorite holidays are quickly approaching.  It makes me smile just thinking about it all.

Another thing that makes me smile is this pasta salad because it’s a perfect side dish for those upcoming Labor Day weekend parties.  It can serve a big crowd and no one has to know that it’s super easy to make.  It’s really important to let the tomatoes and yellow bell peppers marinate for at least 15 minutes in the lemon and olive oil mixture.  It really gives this pasta salad great flavor.  I have also added chicken to this recipe.  I actually prefer it without the chicken but my husband likes it with so I usually split it up and add half with and half without.  Again, a really great side dish for your last summer cookout.

Oh and I have to share some other very exciting news that happen this week.  I was lucky enough to find a ticket to BlogHer Food in San Francisco for the 8th and 9th of October (thanks Carrie from Deliciously Organic).  I’m so excited I can’t hardly wait to meet all the other amazing community of food bloggers and learn, learn, learn.  It’s going to be so much fun!!  I’m also looking forward to sharing with you all my adventures.  So stay tune!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and super relaxing Labor Day weekend!   

Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad

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1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 pound pasta, such as penne or fusilli

12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Instructions:

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, shallt, garlic, thyme, and sugar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomatoes, yellow pepper, and lemon zest and gently toss.  Let marinate at room temperature for15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and run cold water over pasta to stop the cooking.  Set pasta aside and let cool slightly.

Add the pasta to the the large bowl with marinated tomatoes and yellow bell peppers and gently toss.  Stir in mozzarella, spinach, and basil (and chicken if using) until well combine.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Once again my kitchen basket was filled with ripe banana’s this weekend.  Which gave me the perfect excuse to get in my kitchen and bake something with them.  It was perfect timing too because a few weeks ago I ran across this recipe and knew I had to give these a try.  It sounded healthy and delicious and perfect for the little ones in the house.  Now that they are in school I also knew it would be a healthy snack to include in their lunch boxes.  The girls both love banana’s and chocolate, like their mommy, so I knew these were going to be a hit.  I just made some slight adjustments to the original recipe like adding cinnamon, pecans, and combining a mix of mini chocolate chips and regular.  The chocolate chips were a bit of an accident as I reached into my cabinet only to find a little bit of regular chocolate chips left and whole bag of mini’s staring back at me.  Chocolate is chocolate right no matter the size, at least that’s what I thought.  The mini’s still tasted delicious in these bars.  I liked them best when they are slight warm.  Another tip: it may be best to store them in the refrigerator if they aren’t eaten quickly, like within two days.   

Enjoy everyone and Happy Monday!

Banana Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

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6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 to 1 cup mashed bananas

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add salt and mashed banana and mix until incorporated . Add oats, cinnamon, nuts, and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips . Stir. Spread in greased 8×8 inch pan and top with remaining 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.  Best when served warm.

Adapted from Sweet and Savory Tooth

Lately I have been all about quick and easy breakfast ideas and these Zucchini Carrot Muffins fit perfectly.  When I received my recent catalog from King Arthur Flour (which I absolutely adore) and flipped thru the first few pages and then my eyes landed on this recipe.  I knew it would be perfect to make for those crazy school mornings or even to pack inside the lunch box for the girls.  These muffins are wonderful and what makes these even better is they are packed with veggies!  The white whole wheat flour adds the whole grains in there too.  In the end, the kids and mommy will be happy with these delicious muffins….oh, and husbands too!  I actually had to make two batches of these muffins (the recipe calls for 6 standard and 20 mini muffins).  I made one batch of mini’s and one batch of standard.  That way everyone in the house was happy.  One more thing, I would highly recommend making these with the cinnamon chips from King Arthur they make the muffins even more special.

I hope everyone had a great week and the kids first few days of school have been a good one.  I know it’s been a little crazy in my house but I think we are finally getting into the groove of things.  Also, if you have time stop over on my guest post on Smithfield.com where I share some of the tips I learned when getting the girls ready for school.  I would love to hear if you have any tips too, so stop by and leave a comment. 

Happy baking everyone and have a wonderful weekend! 

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

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1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup mini cinnamon chips (optional)

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 cup White Whole What Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray nonstick cooking spray to a standard 6 cup muffin tin or a 20 mini-muffin cup tin.

Whish together the sugar, oil, salt, and egg.  Add zucchini, carrots, cinnamon chips (if using) and pecans.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the batter.  Stir till just combined.  Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Let the muffins rest for 10 minutes before placing them into the oven.

Bake the muffins until the edges are lightly browned and they feel firm if gently pressed, about 18 to 25 minutes.  A cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.  Cool muffins in the pan for 10 minutes; transfer to a rack, and cool completely.

Makes 6 standard muffins, or 20 mini muffins. 

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope everyone had a nice weekend.  Our weekend was spent relaxing after adjusting to a crazy end of the week last week.  The girls started school last Wednesday and the whole house has been trying to adjust ever since.  This getting up early, packing the lunch, picking out the clothes, and quick breakfasts all before quickly heading out the door has been quite interesting.  I have to admit my coffee tastes extra special in the mornings now.  I’m hoping we can all adjust to our new schedules soon.  The good thing is the girls really enjoy ”tot” school…the pre-pre K of school.  Which makes the rush and the mix-up of the schedule all worth it.  

Since our mornings have been a bit crazy these days I have been trying to think of easy and quick ideas that give the girls a little head start into their mornings.  That are loaded with protein and carbs so that way they are fresh and ready to start their day learning.  This recipe is really great because it takes a few ingredients and is super quick to make.  I made these with turkey bacon, but these can easily be made with regular turkey or even a sausage.  I also used 2% cheese which is still packed with great protein but is minus a little fat which makes me feel better in case I happen to pop one in my mouth.  If your house is as crazy as mine has been lately, these quick treats will be perfect for your family too.   

 

Cheesy Bacon Breakfast Bites

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4 to 5 slices of bacon (turkey or pork)

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury Crescent refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/2 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I used 2%)

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cook bacon as directed on package until desired crispiness.  Drain on paper towels and set aside to cool.

Unroll dough sheet on work surface; pressing into a 12×8-inch rectangle.  Sprinkle cheese evenly over dough.  Finely chop bacon and sprinkle evenly on top of cheese. 

Starting at the short end, roll up dough; pinch edge to seal.  Wrap roll in plastic wrap; refrigerate 5 minutes until chilled.  This will make the dough easier to cut.

Unwrap roll; place seam side down on cutting board.  Using a serrated knife, cut roll into 12 slices.  Please slices, cut sides up, on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown.  Let cool 5 minutes before enjoying.

I have been eyeing the Zoku Quick Pop Makerat Williams-Sonoma for awhile now.  With our hot summer days I thought it would be perfect for a icy cold treat for the girls.  So when my mom told me she got one I was super jealous!  But having the great mom that I have she said we would have better use out of it so she packed it up and sent it down to us.  I was over the moon with excitement when I got it.  So excited in fact that it took me a whole week to decide what flavor to make first.  With the abundance of amazing fresh and in-season fruit this time of the year it was hard to narrow it down to one so I decided on two and two of our favorites….peaches and strawberries.  Growing up in Georgia, peaches were one of my favorites during the summer months.  They were super sweet and juicy and you could find them everywhere.  I don’t have the luxury of being home this time of the year to get them at the local fruit stands but I am lucky enough that my local Whole Foods had them on sale…even though they were South Carolina peaches.  I thought South Carolina was the next best thing considering that’s where my husband is from.  Another bonus at Whole Foods this past weekend was a huge 4 pound container of strawberries for $5.99!  Wow!  Luckily, we like strawberries in my house.

If your considering the Zoku Quick Pop Maker yourself it is a great investment and makes the pops in no time flat.  Which is great when the little ones are eager to have one “now”.  The pops can be done in 7 to 9 minutes!  Wow!  I know I was amazed.  Just make sure you freeze the container and you can have icy pops for those hot days.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Peaches and Cream Pops

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For Strawberry:

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in halves

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

For Peach:

3 ripe peaches, peeled and roughly chopped (or 2 cups frozen peaches thawed)

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

Instructions:

For the strawberry: In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

For the peach: In a blender or food processor, combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

If using conventional ice pop molds, evenly layer layers of the peach and strawberry mixture among molds.  Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours pr up to 3 days.  If using sticks, insert them into the molds when the pops are partially frozen, about 1 hour, then continue freeze until soild, at least 3 more hours.

If using an instant ice pop maker (like I did here), again layer peach and strawberry mixture into container.  Then follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze the pops.

Recipes adapted from Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski

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