Super Easy Raspberry Lemonade Pie

I used this recipe for lemonade pie . . .

but I forgot to buy Cool Whip so I just omitted it!

And then I added a package of fresh raspberries, which I wish I had crushed up a bit more so they weren't such big chunks.

Evil Jungle Salad

Evil Jungle Salad
Brought by Jenn

This salad is a mix between the Pioneer Woman Asian Noodle Salad and Houston's Thai Noodle Salad.  You can really add whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand.  As long as you have the mango, avocado, noodles, and dressing, it will be delicious.  The flavors and texture get stuck in your head, and you'll just want more and more.  Beware - this is a huge batch.  If you don't dress the whole thing, it keeps pretty well for a couple of days, especially if you skip the cucumbers.

Salad:

1 package udon, soba or linguine noodles (I prefer them in that order), cooked, rinsed, and cooled

½ head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

½ head purple cabbage, thinly sliced

1 bag baby spinach, chopped

3 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow), thinly sliced

3 whole scallions

Chopped cilantro, up to one bunch (I used a whole bunch)

3 whole cucumbers, peeled and sliced (I omit if I plan to have leftovers b/c they get slimy)

3 mangos, diced

2 avocados, diced

1 can peanuts or cashews (toasted?), chopped slightly

Can also add halved cherry tomatoes, matchstick carrots, other mixed greens, fresh mint, and/or Thai basil

Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp water

2-3 Tbsp. Sriracha chile paste (I use 2 because I’m wimpy)

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup canola oil

1 tsp. sesame oil (I omitted)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

Blend dressing ingredients together.  Mix salad ingredients together.  Top with dressing and serve immediately.  Also excellent topped with grilled steak or chicken.

Grilled Sweet Potato Fries (Parmesan Crusted)

Contributed by Jenn

2 medium sweet potatoes
olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt - maybe a little more
Parmesan cheese - just the kind in the Kraft bottle (1/4 cup?)

Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into long strips.  Place in a large Ziploc bag.  Toss with olive oil until fries are all lightly coated.  Sprinkle evenly with salt.  Add Parmesan cheese and shake in bag until all fries are coated.

Heat grill to medium; clean and lightly oil grates.  Place fries directly on grates.  Cook 5-10 minutes or until lightly charred on the bottom.  Turn once and repeat until desired tenderness is reached.

Grilled Pizza and Pizza Bianca

Contributed by Jenn

For our Dinner Group I combined these two recipes (both adapted from Everyday Food) for a grilled Pizza Bianca.  I LOVE doing pizza on the grill because pizza is normally something that would get my kitchen really hot, but when it's on the grill, my kitchen can stay cool!  And grilled pizza has a distinct flavor and texture as well.

Grilled Pizza

1.       1. Prepare pizza dough.  I usually use my 5-minute bread, but lately I’ve been using/liking this Olive Oil dough (also from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day) for pizza.  Also, prepare all of your toppings ahead of time, because once you start grilling, everything happens quickly and it’s madness if you’re trying to scramble toppings together.

2.      2.  Light grill and set to medium/medium high.  Clean and lightly oil grates.

3.      3. On a lightly floured surface (I like to use the bottom/back side of my jellyroll/cookie sheet – sprayed and floured—because it makes it easier to transfer to the grill), roll out a grapefruit-sized mound of dough into a large oval or rectangle. 

4.      4. Brush dough with olive oil, and sprinkle with course salt and ground pepper.

5.      5. Using your hands, carefully place dough, oiled side down, directly on the grates of your grill.  Quickly stretch edges to equalize thickness if needed.  Brush dough with olive oil and close hood.  Cook until underside is lightly charred and bubbles form all over top – 2-4 minutes.

6.      6. Using a metal spatula, slide pizza onto the bottom side of a cookie sheet, then flip over to cook the other side. 

7.      7.  Immediately add toppings and cheese.  Reduce heat if it seems to be cooking really hot.  Cover grill, and cook until cheese melts, bottom of crust is crispy, and toppings are heated through – about 2-5 minutes.

Note: If your pizza is getting really charred in certain spots, you may need to rearrange the coals in your grill for even cooking.

Pizza Bianca

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

1 ½ T. olive oil, plus 1 tsp. for arugula

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups shredded mozzarella

¼ cup parmesan cheese

2-3 cups baby arugula

In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 ½ T. olive oil, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.  After grilling first side of pizza dough, spread ricotta mixture on pizza, leaving a ½ inch border.  Top with mozzarella, then parmesan.  Close grill and continue cooking until cheese is melted.

Toss arugula with 1-2 tsp. olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Top pizza with arugula and serve.

Olive Oil Dough

Olive Oil Dough (best for pizza crust/calzones/focaccia/breadsticks)

From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Contributed by Jenn

2 ¾ cup lukewarm water

1 ½ T. yeast

1 ½ T. Kosher salt (or a scant 1 T. table salt)

1 T. sugar

¼ cup olive oil

6 ½ cups flour.

Mix water, yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil.  Stir in flour with a wooden spoon.  Add a bit of extra flour if it looks super sticky.  Let raise 2 hours, then refrigerate until ready to use (it’s easier to handle it if it’s cold).  When ready to use, sprinkle the top with flour and pull off a section to use.  This batch should make 3-4 pizza crusts.

Strawberry Shortcake

If you are looking for a treat, but wanting to cut back on sugar intake, this is a recipe for you!


Whole Wheat Biscuits
adapted from 100 Days of Real Food blog

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole wheat organic flour)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup milk (any kind)

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with whisk or fork. Cut the ½ stick butter into little pea sized pieces and then mix the pieces into the flour mixture. Using a fork, try to mash the butter pieces as you mix it together with the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. It is okay if the outcome just looks like the same pea sized pieces of butter covered with flour. Then pour in the milk and mix it all together. Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 450 for 8-12 minutes (depending on size). 

Slice open biscuits. Cut up strawberries and add fresh whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Roasted Corn and Tomato Pasta Salad

from Whole Foods

Ingredients

4 ears corn, shucked, kernels removed 
6 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
2 cups chopped spinach 
1 cup crumbled blue cheese 
1/2 pound dried penne or fusilli pasta 
Juice of 1 lemon 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts 
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a medium skillet, dry-roast corn over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Place in a large mixing bowl with tomatoes, garlic, spinach and blue cheese. Set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain thoroughly. Add hot pasta to bowl with corn mixture. Stir to wilt spinach and blend ingredients. Drizzle with lemon juice and oil. Toss with pumpkin seeds, season with salt and pepper and serve.