Greek Garbanzo Salad

If you’ve followed me for a length of time you will notice that I have spurts of healthy cooking, be it Weight Watchers, Cook This Not That, etc., but I always seem to go back to my norm of cookery, the unhealthy southern fare I grew up eating, heavy on the butter and cream. My only saving grace is I’ve only fried maybe 2 things in the last few years, eggs and salmon patties. What you can’t see are the meals my husband and I eat the rest of the time. He doesn’t need to watch his intake and count calories and I do, or did before now. I’ll spare you the nitty gritty but some factors in our private lives have made it imperative that I follow a certain diet plan, a Low Amylose Diet to be exact. So due to this for the time being the majority of post for the next say 6 months will be following this plan. Now that I’ve shared that let’s get started on the first recipe, shall we?

I needed a side dish that I could eat without guilt and that would fit the outdoor picnic occasion, so I made this salad based off of some ideas I had seen online of garbanzo bean salad, although I couldn’t tell you where or when.

This dish is the one to eat if you are seriously craving pasta. I loved it! So much so that I ate half of of dish, every single glorious flavorful bite.

Greek Garbanzo Salad

Dressing:

3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons of crushed oregano
1 teaspoon of salt
pinch of pepper

Put all ingredients into a mason jar, screw on the cap and shake until combined. Chill overnight or a minimum of 3 hours.

Salad:

16 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
½ cucumber, peeled and small diced
roma tomatoes, small dice
10 kalamata olives, sliced
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons dressing, recipe above

Add all the salad ingredients except the feta cheese into a bowl and toss to combine. Chill for 2 plus hours. Just before serving stir in the feta cheese.

Makes 4 servings at 174 calories each or 6 servings at 116 calories each.

If you’re not following the Low Amylose Diet you could always add ½ a purple onion thinly sliced to the salad as well which will up the calorie count a bit.

Pioneer Women’s Aunt Trish’s Salad

Who doesn’t know the Pioneer Women? She’s had a blog longer than I have and now she has a cooking show on Food Network. I love her style of cooking; she makes good old home cooked food and this simple tossed salad is no exception.

I first saw this recipe on Food Network a few weeks ago and then during my blogging break I made it and took it to Mother’s Day at my Momma and Daddies house, it got rave reviews from both sisters in law and one of my baby brothers, not to mention I loved it. Well, with reviews like that regarding salad it’s a keeping in my opinion. So I am making it again tonight to go with some steaks that Baby Cakes is grilling for supper.

Just a heads up, the dressing has to sit and marry over a 24 hour period at a minimum. I can’t stand it when I go to make something the day of and realize I didn’t read the entire directions and didn’t give myself enough time. Lesson learned? Always read cooking instructions in advance but, just in case you’re anything like I used to be there’s your heads up.

Pioneer Women’s Aunt Trish’s Salad Dressing
recipe from Pioneer Women

¾ cups canola oil
juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
dash salt, to taste
dash black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoons sugar
dash of paprika
garlic clove, minced

Place all ingredients into a jar. Shake it up and store in the fridge at least 24 hours before serving.

Serve on a green salad with halved cherry tomatoes and a thinly sliced red onion.

Also works well on pasta salad.

It’s summer time, time to start trying out some new salad recipes.

Now to get a calorie count I just divided the entire salad, with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, already tossed with the dressing into 8 servings making it 225 calories each serving.

Crock Pot Cheeseburger

So in regards to blogging I’ve been a bit delayed. There is a fire here in my hometown and I admit that I have been all consumed with that since last Monday. We’ve packed up the important things and are now just waiting for the fire to be put out. For the time being it’s looking better and I have let my guard down enough to have a normal day, I even cooked supper for the first time this week.

I am still on Weight Watchers although I have been naughty for the last 2 days; I’m not looking forward to my weight in tomorrow but I not quitting either. So it’s back on the horse today with a recipe I found in my Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook. I love this book; it is full of easy yummy recipes. I actually went through it with my point’s calculator and marked the point’s value for each recipe in it. It’s just one more way to make staying on plan easier. Enough about weight watchers, didn’t I say I wasn’t going to talk about it?

This dish is wonderful. It tastes great and is so easy to make. And although it came from a weight loss cookbook there is nothing diet about it in regards to taste. I can imagine that this would satisfy everyone in your household, especially children.


Crock Pot Cheeseburger
slightly adapted from Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook, pg. 130

1 lb. 90% lean ground hamburger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese loaf, diced
2 tablespoons fat free milk
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large skillet cook the hamburger meat with the garlic powder over medium heat until browned, drain.

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Mix the cooked beef and remaining ingredients together in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours.

Serve on buns or as a salad.

To serve as a salad: Serve on a bed of lettuce using 1/6th of the meat mixture. In lieu of salad dressing although you could use thousand island use a squirt or two of ketchup and mustard.

Serving size: 1/6 (meat mixture only)
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 6


As always, I wouldn't share it otherwise, a delish supper. This in salad form really works for me. Occasionally I crave cheeseburgers and this had all the flavors of one. Maybe next time I'll toast a pita for the bread factor.

Yum,

Shredded Brown Sugar Pork Roast

Apparently I am a pork junkie, a crock pot pork junkie to be more specific but it’s just so simple to make. There never seems to be a shortage of flavorful recipes floating around out there on the World Wide Web. I can’t wait for fall and then I’ll be replacing pork roast for beef roast. On a side note my favorite holiday is on its way- Halloween!

I know that when it comes to weight loss one would not think that a recipe with a cup or brown sugar in it would be considered diet food but I truly believe in everything in moderation and so far that seems to be working for me because in 2 weeks I have lost 5 lbs., slow and steady wins the weight loss race.

In regards to the dish itself it was so good. I used it as a salad topper and although I didn’t take a picture of Baby Cakes’ plate he used his as sandwich filling. Oh and I added more to the salad once I took a photo fat free cheese being one of the things.


Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pork Roast

1 lb. pork roast
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup worcestershire sauce

Place the roast in the crock pot and pour the sugar and sauce over the roast.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred and serve.

Serving Size: 1/6
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 7


I really cannot say enough about this recipe. Both Baby Cakes and I loved it. It’s a keeper.

XOXO,

Caesar Shrimp and Pasta

Do you guys have a subscription to Simple & Delicious magazine?

I do but so far I’ve only made and shared one recipe from the February/March 2011 issue; that recipe being the Squash & Carrot Sauté from a week ago. Sometimes it takes me a while to jump on the wagon but once I do I’m taking the reins. The reason for the curiosity is because these magazines are just full of amazingly simple, namesake I suppose, recipes. I just made another one tonight.

Baby Cakes is a caesar dressing kind of guy. Every time we eat at Red Lobster he could make a meal out of the salad alone and as you might know it’s a steady simmer, scratch that, boil outdoors just about in every state right now. I want a cold satisfying meal. I found one. Amen.

The recipe calls for you to serve this pasta warm and although I did try it I have to say that it is even better cold.


Caesar Shrimp and Pasta
adapted from Simple & Delicious, Feb/March pg. 29

4 cups pasta
3 cups frozen peas
1 lb. frozen shrimp, and size
2 tablespoons plus ½ cup caesar salad dressing
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the shrimp in 2 tablespoons dressing over medium heat until cooked through.

Drain the pasta and peas and transfer to a large bowl. Add the shrimp, cheese and remaining caesar dressing and toss to coat.

Either serve immediately or refrigerate overnight and serve cold.


We love it! Love, love, love it. In fact I am eating leftovers for lunch right now.

XOXO,

Bar-B-Ranch Salad

It is 101 degrees today in my neck of Texas. You read that right its 101. In spring! (Those numbers are normally reserved for the end of July and the entire month of August, namely summer.) Sweltering, stifling, knock you out kind of heat, and sticky to boot (humidity).

Baby Cakes works outside in this all day so it is not unheard of that he A) doesn’t want supper at all when he arrives home or B) wants a cold crisp salad. Tonight is B.

Luckily we have a ton of leftover smoked Brisket and Sausage to use up. I’m going to wing it…


Bar-B-Ranch Salad

1-2 cups chopped brisket, heated
1 cup chopped link sausage, heated
1 can ranch style beans, drained
1 can sweet corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1 small tomato, diced
1-2 heads romaine lettuce, diced and rinsed
½ cup ranch dressing, homemade*
½ cup brown sugar b-b-q sauce
1-2 cups original Frito chips

Toss all of the ingredients together and serve.


*I don’t care for bottled ranch. In fact I have yet to find any brand, any bottle or jar that tastes as good as homemade, as in the result of following the directions on the back of a ranch packet. Even when I was a kid I would add milk and mayonnaise to the bottle of ranch and shake it up to make it thinner, it was too thick without doing that. It used to make my Dad so mad- everyone else in the family loved it so basically I was ruining it for everyone but me. Ahhh memories. Lol.

Baby Cakes gave this a Bad A$$ rating. I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up. It isn't gourmet but then again what on this blog ever is? It is really good and it managed to keep us both cool and fill us up. Amen!

XOXO,

Strawberry Pear Salad

Growing up my Grandma Lolly would make a simple pear dessert for us when we were staying with her. It consisted of canned pears, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. I was a light and yummy dessert after a home cooked meal prepared lovingly by her. Something about this recipe always appealed to me and I find myself on summer days wanting to eat some of the ice cold pears and creamy whipped cream; not to mention the cherry. While my siblings were arguing over who would get to drink the cold syrup that pears were canned in I would be sneaking cherries out of their bright red syrup. Youth, where did the time go?

As an adult and with the responsibilities of planning and cooking for my own husband (perhaps someday my family) I find myself coming back to the recipes I was raised on time and time again. No matter how simple or different they may be. And every once in a while I like to revisit them and make them a bit more mine. With the current weather, HELLlllOooooooooO SUMMER (think Good Morning Vietnam), I am aching or would that be melting for cool dishes. This hits the spot.

The best part about it is that it is a make ahead of time kind of dish. It would be great for guests or a simple late night snack. My grandma served it along with dinner as side dish. But I tend to serve it afterwards because I beleive it derserves to be in the spotlight. I know it seems so simple, the thought actually crossed my mind to not even blog it, but it is a recipe that makes me think of my Grandma and one that I thought of and think of fondly still. That and this is my blog so Na-na-nana-na.


Strawberry Pear Salad
minimally adapted from Grandma Lolly’s recipe

serves 2 adults

1 regular can of halved pears, drained
6-8 strawberries, rinsed, cored and sliced
whipped cream, about 2-4 tablespoons
maraschino cherries, amount up to you

In the bowl you will use to serve the salad place two halves of pear. Top with half of the strawberries, a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry.

Place the bowls into the refrigerator and chill until ready to serve.

This recipe is sneaky. It will hit you out of nowhere on a sweltering day and before you know it you’ll be craving a bite of an ice cold pear.

Don't judge me (wink),

Carrot Raisin Salad

My Grandma Lolly's Birthday was June 30th so we all got together yesterday to celebrate it. Infact all three of her children were there, something that hasn't been accomplished since my Grandpa passed away 15 years ago. Yeah it's been a long time. It was nice seeing the Aunt and Uncle that I haven't seen then and one of my cousins and his son were able to come as well. It was relaxed and comfortable. A really, really good day.

Grandma had called me last week to go over the list of still needed items and dishes people are bringing and I hadn't heard her say fruit salad of any kind so I told her I would bringing that and some Taffy Apple Salad. She sounded pleased and that's the idea so I brought along these two recipes, the follwing recipe being Carrot Raisin Salad.

Now I know you've probably had carrot salad, most people have but in truth it had been so long for me and even when I had had it in the past I never really paid attention to the flavors going on. Probably because I didn't cook back then, now everything I taste I think about what spices I taste and how I would make it if I made it, etc. etc. So I had to run a search for this one and I'm glad I did. I picked out the once recipe that wasn't exactly like all the others I was finding. It was a website titled Blisstree.com. Sometimes just searching by photo will bring you into a whole new world of food blogging. Check her out.

Oh and I doubled the below recipe.


Carrot Raisin Salad

8 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 tbs light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 to 1/2 cup Hellmann’s Mayo

Mix together and allow flavors to blend for one hour. Makes 8 servings.


I loved it. It was slightly sweet and had a bit of cinnamon spice to it. Wonderful dish. I'll certainly be making this again soon.

Who knew,

Taffy Apple Salad

Happy 4th of July everyone! I hope you all had a lovely day, enjoyed some sunshine and good food. I haven't had a chance to read everyones posts yet to know what you had but I thought I'd share what I had or brought as the case may be.

My Grandma Lolly's Birthday was June 30th so we all got together yesterday to celebrate it. Infact all three of her children were there, something that hasn't been accomplished since my Grandpa passed away 15 years ago. Yeah it's been a long time. It was nice seeing the Aunt and Uncle that I haven't seen in that long of a time and one of my cousins and his son were able to come as well. It was relaxed and comfortable. A really, really good day.

Grandma had called me last week to go over the list of still needed items and dishes people are bringing and I hadn't heard her say fruit salad of any kind so I told her I would bringing that and some Carrot Raisin Salad. She sounded pleased and that's the idea so I brought along these two recipes, the follwing recipe being Taffy Apple Salad.

I found this recipe while searching for a fruit salad that everyone hasn't had a million times before. This is certainly diffrent and tasty. The recipe was found on the Taste of Home website. I loved the sauce/cream, to me it tasted just like that fruit dip you buy in the produce section. Loved it. Won't be changing a thing about this recipe.


Taffy Apple Salad

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4-1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
3 cups diced unpeeled apples
1-1/2 cups lightly salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. In a large bowl, combine pineapple and marshmallows; cover and refrigerate for several hours.

In a saucepan, combine the egg, sugars, flour, vinegar and reserved pineapple juice; cook and stir until mixture thickens. Remove from the heat; cool. Cover and refrigerate.

Fold whipped topping into the chilled dressing. Add the apples and peanuts to the pineapple and marshmallows. Fold dressing into fruit mixture. Refrigerate leftovers.


I loved it and after taking a giant bowl there I only came home with about 1/3 of the bowl full. There wasn't that many of us there. Grin.

This would be great in the fall as well. The caramel flavor would easily lend itself as a fall themed party dish.

Love.

Citrus Coleslaw

This recipe is one that Michael (aka Baby Cakes) found at HEB while picking up a few things on his way home from work. You know how they have a little kitchen and a "chef" prepares food for everyone to taste in hopes that everyone will fall madly in love with the recipe and buy all the ingredients post haste? Yeah, it works like a charm on my husband. I don't know why I am being negative I kinda do the same thing on this blog right? Only luring them (you) with words instead of smells and tastes. I guess in that case I am glad that that tactic works. Grin.

So Bcakes comes home with a few bags of groceries and can't wait to show me the recipe cards that he brought home, along with all the ingredients. Guess what I am making the following night, yup. These exact recipes, also see Shiner Bock Meatloaf.

I don't mind, I love that he has a opinion when it comes to food.

This recipe for Citrus Coleslaw was interesting. I did make it twice, the first time using thier recipe and this second time using my adaptation. (Here's the original recipe for those wanting it: 8 ounces cole slaw mix, 1 cup mandrain oranges, chopped, 1/2 roasted slivered almonds, dressing: 1/3 cup Cookwell Fin and Feather Marinade, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 orange, juiced and zested. Mix all of the ingreidients together and toss with the dressing.) I did keep most of it the same, my changes were ommitting the marinade and adding tropical trail mix instead of just almonds. Do let me tell you though that this trail mix was mostly nuts and dried soft fruits. I didn't buy the one with bananas in it. I found that the dish was sweeter and had alot more eye appeal than the original recipe. In regards to the marinade it was a clever way for them to push the product but it was better without it. So without further ado...


Citrus Coleslaw
adapted slightly from the HEB version

8 ounces coleslaw mix
1 cup mandarin orange segments
1 cup tropical trail mix

Dressing:

1/2 cup juice from mandarin oranges
1/3 cup mayo
1 orange, juiced and zested
1 tbs. sugar

Mix the salad ingredients together and then toss in the dressing. Cool in the icebox until ready to serve.

This would be a great salad for a picnic. Perhaps some citrus glazed ribs along with it. MMMMMmmmm sounds tempting.

Enjoy,

Frito Taco Salad

I have been sick. I am on the upside of sick but still I've been sick. I hibernated in my bed for days, slept, visited the doctor, have/had taken multiple medications and have finally re-entered the non zombie world. It's back to work, back to life as normal and back to cooking. I must admit though that having the hubs cook, or ahem help cook, has been quite nice.

It had been days since BCakes had tasted a home cooked meal. I had been living on mainly chicken noodle soup and he has been completely burnt out on fast food so he really wanted a "real" meal. Enter one of the easiest and fastest meals ever and it was his idea. Go him!

When BCakes and I were dating we ate many a meal at his parents house and one of the revolving recipes there just happened to be a salad, namely a taco salad. Now my M.I.L. didn't use any meat in this salad but the hubs wasn't having that so I abliged and he cooked up some ground beef to add along. In all honesty I really don't feel like it needs it. There are enough things going on in this recipe and you actually don't even notice that there was meat in there. It's probably because the beans are so hearty. So next time no meat! Anyway my wonderful husband assisted me in making this super simple salad.


Frito Taco Salad
recipe from Lynn Bennett

1 pound hamburger mean, cooked and drained
2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 head of lettuce, rinsed and chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 small bottle catalina dressing, desired amount
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-4 cups fritos corn chips
seasoning to taste

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and toss to coat in dressing. Voila, that's it and it is so yummy.

I personally add the dressing and fritos last. Dressing because you don't actually need the entire bottle and fritos because you want them to keep the crunch.


This is going to be one of our go to meals from now on. I had comepletely forgotten about it but I doubt I ever will again. The flavor combo, although simple, works really well together.

Enjoy.

Dilled Ranch Dressing

I love dill, I love ranch dressing, combine the two and you have heaven. Yum!


Dilled Ranch Dressing

Step 1:
15 saltines
2 cups dry parsley flakes, minced
1/2 cup instant minced onion
2 tablespoons dry dill weed
1/4 cup onion salt
1/4 cup garlic salt
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup garlic powder

Step 2:
2 cups mayo
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Step 1:
Dump all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until completely powdered.

Step 2:
Combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. dry mix and all ingredients from step 2. Let chill in the fridge overnight to let flavors marry.

Serve over a crisp green salad.

Tuna Salad with Apples

Growing up my mom would make her tuna salad slighly like the recipe following. Instead of using chopped dill pickles she use relish, yuck! but I never seemed to mind as a child. You know now that I think about it really the only thing the same about my moms recipe and mine is the tuna and apples. Oh well, she still beats me on some other dishes.

You'll see that I am very specific on the list of ingredients normally to each her own but the tuna really matters.

Tuna Salad with Apples

2 5 oz. cans Chicken of the Sea Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water, drained
1 medium to large Red Delisious Apple, chopped chunky
1 cup dill pickles, chopped chunky
1-2 Tbsp. Mayo (Hellman's, Blue Plate, etc. just make sure it good mayo)
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder (not salt)

Mix all the ingredients together and serve on lettuce, bread, with crackers or chips. So yummy.

Daddies Pea Salad

This picture does this salad no justice- tastes so much better than it looks I promise. Here's the problem though, I only know how to make it for a crowd. If you want to make this for only a few people just do it by eye, the recipe is general.

Today Michael, my father in law Jackie and I went to the annual town meeting and picnic in Iola, Texas. My hubbies parents own a nice amount of land there and there are alot of distant family who still reside there. (Michael and his Dad hunt and camp there, though I am falling madly in love with it as well) Anyhoo, so I brought my Daddies dish and ended up making and carrying (not an easy task) a ton of this pea salad. Amazingly yummy you guys, try this!


canned peas or frozen peas, thawed
tomato, diced
hard boiled eggs, diced
celery, with leaves too, bottom end trimmed, diced
purple onion, diced
velveeta cheese, diced
mayo
milk
dry ground mustard
salt and pepper to taste

The trick here is to have more peas than any of the other ingredients, however I like mine with alot of egg so to each his or her own.

Put peas, tomato, eggs, celery, onion and cheese into bowl. Add about 2 Tbs. of mayo per can of peas and 1 Tbs. milk, stir to mix together. Add dash of dry mustard and salt and pepper, stir some more. You want it soupy and taste and play around with the mustard get the right amount.

That's about it, sometimes I add cubed ham the next day for an entire meal. Oh and the longer it sits in the fridge the more the flavors marry together. I always get raves about this dish.

Love you Daddy!