Roasted Tomato and Spinach Pasta

I made this up for dinner tonight and we all loved it!  It is really easy and fast too which makes it even better.

1 1/2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
2 large handfulls of fresh spinach
l medium-large onion chopped
about 6 mushrooms chopped, I used a combo of white and cremini
5 cloves garlic minced smalll
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
2-3 splashes balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 box wheat rotini pasta

So first you just dump the tomatoes onto a jelly roll pan and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Heat the oven to 400 and roast for about 20 minutes while you are doing everything else.

Boil the water.

Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a sautee pan and add chopped onions.  Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes.  Add mushrooms and garlic and continue cooking till slightly browned.  Stir in the rosemary and thyme and salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta.

Add the spinach and stir until wilted.  At this point pull the tomatoes out of the oven and pour all the juices, tomatoes, and oil into the sautee pan(the tomatoes skins should have burst and become slightly browned by this point, if not, wait a little longer).  Stir all to combine.  The tomatoes will pretty much fall apart.  Turn stove to low and let combine while pasta finishes cooking.

Drain pasta and add to the sautee pan.  Stir to coat and then add salt and pepper to taste and the two kinds of cheese.  Right before serving pour 2-3 quick glugs of balsamic vinegar across the top and stir to combine.  Enjoy!

Apple Pecan salad

Here is another recent creation that I took to a luncheon where people asked for the recipe so I wrote it down so here it is:

Mixed greens

1 granny smith apple cut into chunks

1/2 cup craisins

1 green onion sliced thin

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup feta cheese

In a small skillet over medium heat add brown sugar to pan and let melt.  Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.  Once it is completely melted, add the pecans and remove from heat.  Quickly stir them till all the pecans are coated and then sprinkle with sea salt.  Transfer to parchment paper and let cool completely.  Chop clumps up into small clusters and serve over the salad.  

for the dressing:

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup orange champagne vinager (I buy this at Trader Joe's so if you can't get it just substitute half champagne or white wine vinegar and half orange juice)

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp honey or more to taste

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together except for olive oil.  When they are mixed well, whisk in the olive oil.  Pour over above ingredients and serve immediately.

Tex-Mex chicken salad

I made this up for a mexican themed play group lunch today.  Everyone loved it and several people asked for the recipe which forced me to come home and write it down so here it is.  It tastes very similar to cafe rio salad.  Enjoy!


Tex-mex chicken salad

By Rachel Hall

Beans and corn

Add one can of black beans mostly drained and 1 cup of frozen corn to a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, juice of 1 half of a lime, and 1/8 tsp garlic powder.  Mix well and turn down the heat.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes over low heat stirring occasionally.  Then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature

Tortilla strips

Heat two cups of canola oil in a deep soup pot with a thick bottom.  Cut 6 corn tortillas into thin strips.  Add the strips in three batches and turn frequently till they are lightly brown and crisp.  Remove and lay on a cookie sheet covered with paper towels(2-3).  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Place in 300 degree oven for 3-5 minutes till crisp.  Then remove and let cool completely.  Let the oil cool completely and reserve for later.

Salad

Cut one whole stalk of Romaine lettuce into thin strips.  Wash and drain.  Lay in large bowl.  Top with Cooled beans and corn mixture.  Then sprinkle 3 Chopped green onions over the beans.  Then add two diced avacados.  Then about ten grape tomatoes halved over the avacados.  Next add 1/4-1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese.  Then shred the breast meat off of a rotisserie chicken and place chicken chunks over the cheese.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves and tortilla strips.  Then toss all with cilantro-lime dressing.

Cilantro-Lime dressing

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1/2 cup of the fry oil(canola)

1 large clove garlic

juice of 2 small limes

about 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Blend together all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  

Asian Cabbage Salad

My friend made this salad at a luncheon the other day and I couldn't stop eating it.  The recipe is from Our Best Bites.com

1 14 oz bag coleslaw mix 
1 rib celery, sliced
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 small handful sugar snap peas (about 20 baby ones)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 T toasted sesame seeds*
1/3 C slivered or sliced almonds, toasted*
Optional: 1 1/2 C cooked, shredded or diced chicken

Dressing: 
2 T canola oil
2 T cider vinegar
1/4 C seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 T sugar (or equivalent of sugar substitute)
1 t kosher salt
2 t soy sauce
1/4 t garlic powder, or one small garlic clove, minced
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t sesame oil

* To toast almonds or sesame seeds, place them (not together, do one thing at a time!) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Turn constantly until golden brown. Let cool before using. 

Begin by making dressing. Combine all ingredients in a sealed jar and shake shake shake. Store in the fridge until ready to use. You can definitely do this part a few days ahead of time.

Baked spinach artichoke dip

I made up this recipe based off of Costco's yummy spinach artichoke dip.

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup sour cream

1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts

1 box frozen spinach 

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze to remove all water.  In a food processor add spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic cloves.  Pulse till well combined and roughly chopped.  Make sure the chunks are pretty small. 

In a large bowl mix sour cream, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper together until well combined.  

Add spinach mixture into the cream mixture.  (Scrape sides to get all the bits).  Stir until well combined.  Add more Salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until edges start to brown.  Serve with bread or chips.

Makes about 3 cups of dip.

My Favorite Sugar Cookies

We made these over Thanksgiving with the kids and they are so soft and buttery!  I love this recipe because it doesn't have shortening which I personally can't stand.

1 cup sugar
1 cup(2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp really good vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended(it will look grainy.)
3. Beat in 1 cup flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.  Gradually add remaining flour.
4. wrap dough and refridgerate until firm.
5. preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
6. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and cook for 7-9 minutes.
7. Frost and decorate as you choose.

I use cream cheese frosting:
1/2 stick butter softened
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar.
Beat together till smooth.  Color if you want

Corn and Black Bean salad

This is a Southwestern twist on the corn and tomato salad that I posted previously.  It goes really well with the enchiladas I posted too.


2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half or just 2 regular tomatoes diced
2 avacadoes pitted and diced
1 bunch cilantro chopped
1/4 of a large red onion diced very small or 4 chopped green onions
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

juice of 1-2 limes 

Lay out corn on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 350 degrees until the corn is warm.  Mix all veggies together in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lime juice.  Pour over veggies and toss till well coated.  Add more lime or salt if needed to taste.