Midweek Munchies

I find myself constantly pulled in many directions on weeknights between sports, school activities, and spending time with friends and family.  Some nights I just do not have the time to prepare the typical home cooked meal and need a time saver that is still delicious.  This hearty salad is quick to prepare and is also very filling and healthy to boot!

I first created this salad several years ago using grilled chicken, but it is also delicious with shrimp, grilled or smoked salmon, or steak...or, even as a vegetarian dish.  This salad serves four as a main dish, or eight as a side salad.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
8 oz farfalle pasta
1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup of whole, pitted black olives
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup creamy Caesar salad dressing
1/4 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
1 cup croutons
8 oz grilled chicken breast

Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente texture. Meanwhile, toast the pignoli over medium heat in a dry skillet until they begin to brown.  Remove the nuts from heat and set aside. Chop the lettuce into bite sized pieces.  Drain and rinse the pasta, and toss all remaining ingredients together and serve. Dinner will be on the table in less than half an hour!

Midweek Munchies

Hatch Chile Cornbread

Late August and early September mean one thing in the southwest....Hatch Chile time! These green chiles are not just plain ol' chiles...these are a variety grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, and luckily the surrounding states (like Texas) reap the benefits, too! Hatch chiles range from mild in heat to spicy - think hotter than a jalapeno - and one medium chile has as much vitamin C as six oranges! These chiles pack huge flavor, with or without the heat, and add interest to so many dishes.  Today, it's cornbread!

Ingredients:
3 Hatch chiles
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 cup flour
2 T sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup yellow, extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup milk
1 cup corn kernels (I used drained, canned kernels - or you can use fresh)
1 egg
3 T butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375, and place the chiles on a baking sheet, and bake until skin blisters, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.  Meanwhile, increase the oven temperature to 425. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, cheese, and corn. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and combine with the milk and butter.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the egg mixture in, and mix.  Batter will be slightly lumpy. Remove the thin ourter layer of skin from the chiles, along with the stems and seeds.  Chop the chiles and stir into the batter.  Pour the batter into a 8" square pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and bake 20-25 minutes.

* If Hatch chiles are not available, this is also great using a couple of Pablano peppers instead!

Perfect accompanyment to the chili weather that will (hopefully) soon be here!

What I Want NOW!

Handwritten Bracelet

I am such a Pinterest junkie, and love all of the fab ideas that fellow "junkies" post!  I am glad to be part of this virtual community that shares ideas with each other as well as inspiration. The item that I am completely enamored with right now is this "handwritten ring".  It contains a sentiment written in a child's own handwriting to his/her mother, which has been transformed into a beautiful silver bracelet by surfing silver on Etsy.

Photo borrowed from surfing silver's Etsy store.

 

This beauty is definitely going on my Christmas wish list this year...and what a great gift idea for grandmothers! Such a creative way to hold onto a memory!

Foodie Pen Pals

This month, Melanie at the Metropolitan Money Pit was my Foodie Pen Pal.  It's only my second month to particpate in the program, and my only regret is that I didn't join sooner! I stumbled on Foodie Pen Pals through The Lean Green Bean blog and I absolutely LOVE this.  Each month, I receive the name of a "pen pal" and I send a box full of foodie goodies totaling about $15 to that person, and in turn, I receive a box from someone else. Each box is very different and packs a great suprise!

 I received a nicely packed box full of sweet treats from California!

Inside the inviting turquoise tissue (that makes me recall the color of the Pacific from visiting CA!) were the following items:

-  See's Candies Little Pops gourmet hard candies
- Hollywood Hottie Cinnamints
- Chai Spices from the Savory Spice Shop
- Rosemary Lime Shortbreads from Shortnin' Bread Bakery in Long Beach
- 479 popcorn in Fleur de sel Caramel
- Assorted old-fashioned candy sticks from Powell's Sweet Shoppe

All of the treats were soooo good - my son made an immediate dash to grab the candy sticks and he enjoyed each and every one! While I enjoyed everything included, I have to admit that the shortbreads were especially delicious - combining the savory flavor of rosemary with the tangy, subtle sweetness of lime - what a lovely, yet unexpected flavor combination.  As much as I adored those shortbreads, though, my favorite was certainly the popcorn...the entire package was only 100 calories and had a salty-sweet caramel flavor that was amazing (and organic, too!).  I will definitely be ordering more of this yummy (and diet friendly) treat!

Thanks so much to Melanie - I loved my FPP package, and look forward to what's in store for month number 3! Join in on the fun here!

Midweek Munchies

Ciabatta Fish Sandwiches

We love eating seafood, especially during the hot summer months when lighter foods help beat the heat! One of our favorite, yet simplest summer staple dishes is Ciabatta Fish Sandwiches.  I prefer flounder, but any mild white fish such as tilapia will also work well.  Simply cook the fish - the recipe below is for pan frying, but we sometimes grill the fish as well - pile toppings on freshly baked ciabatta, and enjoy!



Recipe
4 ciabatta rolls, split in half
4 - 3oz flounder fillets
1 cup shredded lettuce, or butter lettuce leaves
1 tomato, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Dill pickle slices
Tartar sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T butter
Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs and set aside.  Season the fish with the creole seasoning - we like a little "kick" so we use a good tablespoon or so.  Dredge the seasoned fish fillets in the flour, then dip in the eggs, and back into the flour.  Place in the skillet and cook until fish is golden brown and flaky in the middle, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  Lightly toast the ciabatta rolls using a toaster, or place them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes.  Place the fish on the bottom half of a ciabatta roll, top with vegetables and tartar sauce, and serve.

Tuesday - HUEsday ~

Pantone Tangerine Tango

I adore bright, vibrant colors, whether in clothing, accessories, home decor, or paints. The color that I have been obsessing over for the last year or so is Pantone Tangerine Tango, the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year. Swatch photo courtesy of glamcheck.com.

Just a small pop of this vivid orangey-red will go a long way! It can add a fun punch of color to any room in small doses by adding accessories to a neutral palette, such as a lamp shade, throw pillow, rug, or artwork. The photo below is a great collection of accent items in this color family, courtesy of
 washingtonian.com.

For greatest effect, use a bright hue like Tangerine Tango with a contrasting pastel, like aqua blue. This photo is a great illustration of the impact that this color combination can have, balancing the powerful orange with calming, soothing light blue.  Courtesy of blog.pantone.com.

I have already decided that I will be using this color combination in my laundry room, when we are able to decorate that room! I have it perfectly pictured in my head and can not wait for it to materialize. Unfortunately, the laundry room is not a high priority, so it will be a while! I suppose beauty is worth waiting for, though :-)

What I Want Now!

I was born a shopaholic, truly!, so I usually have a wish list a mile long of various items that I need...or, sometimes, really, really need! (My husband doesn't always agree!) Even though I love to shop and enjoy trendy items, I do my best to seek out bargains, too.

This week, What I Want Now is a microplane herb mill from Williams-Sonoma. I just so happen to have a postcard coupon for Williams-Sonoma, too!

This handy gadget grinds fresh herbs with a few twists - much quicker than chopping herbs by hand! I always cook with fresh herbs whenever I can, as their flavor is far superior to that of dried herbs. At $19.95, it's not even much of a splurge! I have somewhat of a collection of kitchen gadgets and this one would fit in perfectly (and actually see some use!).