Greek Salad

We love Feta cheese at my house!  Anything you can put it on/in - can only taste better, right?  Another favorite is fresh garden tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers....  Really anything from the garden! With our impending move, I'm really missing those garden fresh veggies!!!  I decided to make a stop at our local Farmer's Market (for those of in Utah - Petersen Family Market).  The girls and I decided to whip up a quick Greek Salad.  You can serve it as a side, a light main dish - use it how you'd like!

Greek Salad
3 med-large garden fresh tomatoes, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/2-1 cup assorted olives (Kalamata/Greek/Black/Green)
1 can Garbanzo beans, rinsed
1/3-1/2 cup red onion, diced (thin)
1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all the above ingredients in large bowl.

Dressing:
6 Tablespoons Red Wine vinegar
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-1/2 Tablespoons Greek Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt

Mix well with whisk or in blender.

Combine dressing and veggies.  This salad is good at room temperature but best when it can sit for an hour or more to let the flavors blend in the refrigerator.  **This is very refreshing from the fridge on a hot summer day!
You can serve it as a side, a light main dish - put it on top of some crisp salad greens or add pasta to it!
Enjoy!!

"Chunky Cinnamon Bread" French Toast

We received an awesome gift basket from Kneaders (local in UT) last week!  The basket included a loaf of Chunky Cinnamon Bread.  If you haven't ever had this bread... you need to go get some!
We love to make french toast with this bread... Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon Bread French Toast
1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread, sliced about 1/2" thick slices
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Maple Syrup

Heat griddle and either spray with non-stick spray or use butter.  Whisk eggs, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar.  Dip both sides of sliced bread into egg mixture.  Cook on both sides about 2-3 minutes each side.  Top with powdered sugar.

Southwest Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad--- seems like a simple dish!  There are so many options!  Here's a classic with a bit of a southwest twist!  

Ingredients:

12 oz. Rainbow Twirl Pasta

15 oz. Black Beans, rinsed

Olives (large can), drained and sliced

16 oz. Italian Dressing - personal favorite - HEB Spicy Italian (yes, it's from Texas)

1 cup Frozen petite corn 

1/3 cup cilantro

1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, diced

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

1.  Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Rinse with cold water and add to large bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients (except dressing).  Toss.  Add half of the dressing.  Refrigerate.  Add remaining dressing just before serving.  

Ideas for other twists on pasta salad:
Go Mediterranean!  Use:  Artichoke hearts, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese and garbanzo beans!
Go Italian!  Use:  Pepperoni, Salami or Proscuitto, tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried), olive (green/black), Italian parsley, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses

The possibilities are endless!  You could add grilled chicken, cubed ham?  What's your favorite combination???
-Tammy

Loaded Hashbrowns

I am a breakfast person....in fact, I'm good with breakfast foods anytime of the day!  Here's a quick and simple one for you to try...  Remember, it's ok to get creative - substitute, add, make it yours!  The quantities below made enough for 3 of us (that's Crow quantities - not based on nutritional standard quantities).

Loaded Hashbrowns
2 cups of frozen hashbrowns
3 eggs
3 slices ham lunch meat (a tad bit thicker than your standard lunch meat slice)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 Tbl oil - I used grapeseed oil, but you can use butter or olive oil too
Salt/Pepper to taste

Toppings:
Salsa
Diced tomatoes
Guacamole
Diced Avocado

1.  Heat 1 Tbl of oil in skillet.  Add hashbrowns and cook until golden brown.

 2.  Dice up ham (or you could use leftover bacon or sausage).

 3.   Add last tablespoon of oil.  Scramble your eggs in a separate bowl, add to skillet along with ham.  Stir while eggs are cooking.  Once eggs are to soft scrambled consistency add half of the cheddar cheese and stir to combine.  Then top with remaining cheddar and pepper jack cheese.  Let it sit for about 1-2 minutes.  Turn heat off and sit for additional minute.

 4.  Serve up and add any additional toppings.

ENJOY!!