Easy Italian Summer Vegetables

I promise this is the last Sweet Pea recipe for a while. I found this recipe last fall and held onto it waiting for all the veggies to come into season. It was SO worth it, I've made this three times in the past two weeks, once just for me. I hope you enjoy.

4-5 cups diced vegetables (I used about 2 ears of corn, straight off the cob--no need to boil, 2 yellow squash, and a zucchini, but you can use cucumber, sweet peas or even thawed frozen green beans)
1/4 cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or apple cider or rice wine)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine vegetables, onion, basil and mozzarella in a medium or large bowl.

Add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir well.

Let sit for at least one hour before serving. The vinegar in the dressing "cooks" the vegetables a bit and they are soft to eat.

Serves 4-6.


I used all the veggies and the vinegar it called for, not the suggested substitutions. I also made this once without the red onion because I was in a hurry, very regrettable decision. It was still good, but not great. I also never had fresh basil but I'm sure that would make this stupendous. It's hard to win me over with vegetables but this may be a first.

Pizza Sauce

Some of you may have this recipe already from me, but I wanted to share it with those who don't. Every Saturday night at our house is homemade pizza night. When I shop during the week, I go to the bakery counter and ask for a loaf of french bread dough (because I'm domestic like that). It freezes just fine until I'm ready to use it.

Pizza sauce from a bottle is really expensive and to be honest, too sweet for my liking. The following oh-so-simple recipe came from Kimball's family and is the only way to go for us around here.

1 - 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. Oregano

Combine in saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. TaDa!

Crescent Rolls

These are the rolls I made for our family campout. The key to these is the butter. Butter! Not margarine. Butter! Again, not margarine. Butter! Anyway, they do use yeast, so factor in about an hour and a half of rising time. I got this recipe from a Betty Crocker cookbook.

Crescent Rolls:

*3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1/4 cup sugar
*1/4 cup butter, softened
*1 tsp. salt
*1 package regular or dry-active yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
*1/2 cup very warm water (120 to 130 F)
*1/2 cup very warm milk (120 to 130 F. I used to warm this up on the stove, but then I realized that it's much easier in the microwave. Do what you please.)
*1 large egg
*More butter, melted

In large bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour, the sugar, 1/4 cup softened butter, salt and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water, warm milk and egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until dough it smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle on floured surface. Spread with softened butter. Cute each circle into 16 wedges. Roll up each wedge, beginning at rounded edge. Place rolls, with points underneath, on cookie sheet and curve slightly. Brush with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush warm rolls with more butter. Makes 32 rolls.

Saucy Stuffed Shells

We had this baby for dinner last night, but I forgot to take a picture. It is one of our favorites and the meal that I always make when I am taking dinner to someone. The original recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, but I have made a few modifications.

12 dried jumbo shell macaroni (I always do 15 because some break)
12 ounces ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 - 26 oz. can meatless spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground meat, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is brown. Drain.

In a medium bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, fennel seeds, salt, and black pepper. Add the meat mixture and 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce; mix well. (At this point I usually drop in a teaspoonful or two of minced garlic). Spoon about 2 tablespoons of meat mixture into each macaroni shell. Arrange the filled shells in a 2-quart square baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the filled shells. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

So. It's no secret that I love limes. No seriously... lllove them. I love them in almost ANYTHING.. main dishes, salads, sauces, drinks and desserts. I even love them straight. Oh... and don't even get me started about how they smell! So when my sister Lisa told me she had a good honey LIME enchilada recipe?... I was all over it! Not only was a hit with the fam, I served it with, what else?... the Limonada drink that I posted last week of course. I'm all a pucker!

6 Tbsp. Honey

5 Tbsp. fresh squeezed Lime Juice

1 small can, diced Green Chili's

1 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

1 lb. Chicken (about 2 large chicken breasts) cooked and shredded.

8-19 Flour Tortillas (I prefer the uncooked kind.)

1/2 lb. Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)

1/2 lb. Mexican Style Cheese (shredded)

1- 14 oz. can Green Enchilada Sauce

1 cup Salsa Verde

1 cup Heavy Cream

Fresh Cilantro (chopped)

Mix the first five ingredients and toss with the shredded chicken. Put in a Ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or longer if preferred.

Pour about 1/2 cup of the salsa verde on the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. Fill each flour tortilla with chicken and the Monterey Jack shredded cheese. Roll them up and place in baking pan.

Mix the Green Enchilada Sauce, and the remaining 1/2 cup Salsa Verde with the cream.

Pour the sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the Mexican Style Cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until brown and crispy on top. Top with fresh Cilantro.

* You can also add black beans to the chicken mixture.

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad

This is one of those recipes that I would NEVER choose to make if it hadn't been recommended to me by someone I trust (aka my sis). But it is awesome. We probably eat it too much.

This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. It serves 8-10.

Salad:
*5 cups cooked rice, warm or at room temp (that's about 2 cups uncooked. ish. sort of.)
*2 teaspoons salt
*1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
*1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
*2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
*1 (12 oz.) can corn, drained
*4 green onions, chopped

Dressing:
*1/4 cup fresh lime juice (I've used fresh lemon juice and it tastes just as good)
*2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
*2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
*2/3 cup canola oil
*2 teaspoons chili powder
*1 teaspoon cumin

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl. Combine dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix well to combine. Serve warm or room temp ( I prefer warm, Sky prefers cold).

Cilantro Lime Empanadas

This is another winner from Sweat Pea. I love that I get to hide vegetables in a fun package, even though hope to some day not have to. I've only made this with taco seasoning, but if I can find the Penzey's spice I'm getting it. I highly recommend the salsa, sour cream with a little fresh cilantro dip at the end. These are very hot when they first come out so be careful.

Easy Cilantro Lime Empanadas

1 package frozen filo, thawed (they usually come with two separate rolls, you will only need one)
1 -12 oz package frozen pureed butternut squash
1 - 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Arizona Dreaming seasoning (a new Penzeys spice mixture, or you can use taco seasoning)
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of one lime
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the filo on a counter and cut it in half lengthwise and be sure to cover with a barely damp cloth when you are not working with it.

In a medium bowl, mix the squash, black beans, salt and seasoning. With a pastry blender or the back of a large fork, smash the mixture together, breaking up the beans a bit while you do so. Add the cream cheese, cilantro and lime, and mix well until everything is fully incorporated.

Take 2-3 sheets of the filo and place 2 tablespoons of the cilantro lime mixture at one end like this:


Fold in triangles, much like you would fold a flag, like this:


Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat liner:


Brush with a bit of oil or spray with cooking spray. Repeat until the filling is gone.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until slightly browned.

Makes about 18.

Serve with sour cream, salsa and a touch more cilantro: