Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad

Do you feel as strongly about pasta salads as I do? Walk away screaming at the sight of elbow macaroni with diced ham and frozen peas? Would never add bottled French dressing to a perfect bowl of carbs and vegetables?

I sure hope so. Because this one's for you.

I was just telling Brani the other day how I was the strangest kid ever when it came to eating.

Didn't like ice cream, made me feel ill. Never ate whipped cream, made me feel ill as well. Hated creamy dressings, because you guessed it: Made. Me. Feel. Ill.

Also, I became vegetarian at the tender age of eight. Something especially my farm-to-table, nose-to-tale grandparents couldn't really wrap their heads around.

Unfortunately for them, I was a stubborn child. Fortunately for them, I stopped being vegetarian six years later. That must have been quite the sigh of relief.

The child is getting nutrients again. Ha!

Anyways, as a young kid the French dressed ham and pea macaroni salad was basically my worst nightmare come true. (And especially so if it was followed by an ice cream sundae. The horror!)

Luckily, my mom was equally not interested in said salad and instead made pasta salads with homemade vinaigrettes and plenty of fresh herbs and vegetables.

And I've (mostly) kept this up ever since. Sometimes, very very occasionally, I'll come up with something crazy like this creamy pizza pasta salad.

But usually when I want to make a pasta salad I just grab whatever fresh produce I can find in the fridge and toss it with my toddler's favorite carbs and a simple dressing.

And when I'm feeling frisky I dice up some cheese or cooked chicken. Or, even better, I toss in a can of tuna.

Because that toddler lady? She loves eating fishies.

Now as I said in the beginning:

This Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad is for all you fellow pasta salad snobs out there. Why? Because:

• It is bursting with fresh vegetables. I admit, they take a little more work than frozen peas (and don't get me wrong, I LOVE the convenience of frozen peas). But they also taste a lot better in a salad.
• No heavy dressing. Just a simple olive oil, lemon juice situation.
• Lots of flavor. There's peppery arugula (arugula is amazing in salads, see this Farro Arugula Salad if you need proof). Salty capers. Herby parsley. And so much more - I could go on all day long.

I know we're all busy people. Sometimes the thought of bottled salad dressing, ham and frozen peas just makes so much more sense than this crazy lady right here talking about dicing stuff and whisking stuff just for a pasta salad.

But. You knew there was a but coming.

Sometimes it's good to break free from the thought that food always has to be the fastest. This is still plenty fast.

And it's always, always good to skip the bottled salad dressing.

You don't even have to follow this particular recipe. I mean you do, but on the off-chance you want to fight me on this you can also just do your own thing.

Just follow these rules: No bottled salad dressing. No mayo anything. Plenty of fresh vegetables.

Oh, what am I saying. Just make this recipe already, and then shout it from the rooftops! 

Print Save

Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the Salad:

• 8 ounces penne, cooked and rinsed under cold water
• 1 tablespoon capers
• handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped black olives
• 16 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small can tuna, drained
• 2 large handful fresh arugulas

Directions

1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add the penne, capers, parsley, onion, olives, tomatoes, bell pepper, tuna, and arugula to the dressing and toss well.
3. I recommend serving the salad immediately. Double the dressing if you want to make it ahead of time, keep the salad well chilled and add the extra dressing just before serving. I'd also recommend adding the arugula last-minute, else it will wilt.

Recommended

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Wusthof Santoku Knife - 5 inch

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2aUc5BQ

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

Roasted Vegetable Tortellini

Summer is a great time to eat your vegetables. I love going to the local farmers market once a week. Better yet, I have some of the freshest veggies growing right in a small garden patch in my yard.

Pairing vegetables with pasta is my kind of meal. It doesn't have to be meatless Monday for my family to have a nice vegetarian dish for dinner. As a matter of fact, summer is the perfect time to eat vegetarian a few times a week.

Some of my fondest memories are from my childhood when I spent part of the summer at my grandparents' house. I would swim at the beach during the day and stay up late at night watching TV shows like Columbo and Hawaii Five-0 with my grandmother. But another special activity would be to help tend my grandparents' garden. They had tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuce and all kinds of herbs to pick.

I remember being about eight years old and coming in with a basket of fresh vegetables right before dinner. I would help cook them or make a salad and it would make me feel very proud. It was the same feeling I get when I put a meal on the table that my family loves to eat.

I try to avoid turning the oven on in the summer but it's a necessity to make this meal. While vegetables can be sautéed in a pan, roasting really brings out their sweetness and flavor. I will roast several pans at once and have enough for the week. This tortellini calls for roasted vegetables but I will also use them in salads, enchiladas, and sandwiches. Roasted vegetables are the perfect ingredients for many summer meals.

Visit your local farmers market this summer or grow a few vegetables in your garden. There is nothing like eating farm to table and this recipe is the perfect example!

Print Save

Roasted Vegetable Tortellini Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini squash, sliced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ounces tortellini pasta with cheese filling
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
• grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss together zucchini, tomatoes, red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread in a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes.
2. While vegetables are roasting, cook tortellini in a large salted pot of water according to package directions. Drain.
3. In a large pasta bowl, mix together tortellini and roasted vegetables along with any juice from the veggies. Toss in the basil.
4. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.   

Recommended

Le Creuset 3-quart Stainless Steel Saucepan

Le Creuset 7 Quart Cast Iron Roaster

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2aIev7l

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

Lemon Cheesecake Donuts

I made us a treat. I married cheesecake and donuts.

I thought about putting the cheesecake into the donut batter and making this very tasty pairing happen that way. But… they weren't cheesecake-ey enough. I also thought about making traditional donuts and filling them with cheesecake.

But… when it boils down to it, I kind of hate frying things. Make no mistake — I LOVE FRIED THINGS. I just don't love the action of frying. I always manage to burn myself or ruin my clothes. I am leaving the frying to other, less clumsy people.

So I made the executive decision with these Lemon Cheesecake Donuts to go ALL IN with the shortcuts.

I bought the donuts.

Plain, soft cake donuts.

You could also go glazed, but I am partial to cake donuts with the cream cheese filling. It's a texture thing. (If you wanna go glazed AND homemade try this recipe for Krispy Kreme Donuts!)

The cream cheese filling is basically the beginning of cheesecake batter, minus the eggs. You will add lemon zest, lemon extract, powdered sugar, and heavy whipping cream. As you beat everything together, the cream and cream cheese will whip together making a light and fluffy cheesecake filling.

Adding fruit was an afterthought on my part. Partly because I love fruit and wanted some color, but partly because I feel like fruit and cheesecake just naturally go hand in hand. The glaze is simple; it's made with a little lemon juice and some powdered sugar.

This plate of sweetness is perfect for a brunch or breakfast buffet. They would also work well as a tea party snack and I think they are EASILY pretty enough for a shower. Enjoy!

If you love new kinds of donuts for breakfast you will also love these Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts, these Kahlua Chocolate Donuts, these Blueberry Key Lime Donuts, and this recipe for Chunky Monkey Banana Donuts which I love to infinity forever. 

Print Save

Lemon Cheesecake Donuts Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

• 12 plain cake donuts
• 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus 1/3 cup, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• assorted fresh fruit, such as berries, peaches, etc.
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Slice each donut in half horizontally.
2. Beat together the cream cheese, lemon zest, 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar, lemon extract, and heavy cream. Beat for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through. The mixture will be whipped and fluffy.
3. Spread one side of each split donut with the cream cheese mixture. Then cover the cream cheese with fruit (you can also skip the fruit).
4. Place the other half of each donut on top and then make the glaze.
5. Whisk together the lemon juice and the remaining 1/3 cup powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over each donut. 

Recommended

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Le Creuset Revolution Spatula

Breville Hand Mixer

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2aF0XfO

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

Recommended for you

Boozy Mexican Chocolate Milkshakes

Let's talk milkshakes today. Specifically the boozy kind, because let's be honest, when you are an adult is there really any other version you should be enjoying? It's the dog days of summer and let's face it, the only way to really cool off is with some ice cream or a cool drink, so really why not combine the two of them together?

I came late to the milkshake party; I was never a fan, or rather I avoided them growing up because I don't drink milk and naive me assumed it tasted more like milk than ice cream. Luckily I smarted up and realized a milkshake is just blended ice cream with a splash of milk.

Have no fear because I've most certainly made up for lost time in my adult years. No milkshake opportunity is ever lost on me now and it is most certainly the best way to cool off on a scorching day when you know that scoop of ice cream will drip down your hand faster than you can lick it up!

Of course in my humble opinion milkshakes can always be made better with two things — 1) chocolate and 2) booze.  So I went forward and did what I know best and whipped up this Boozy Mexican Chocolate Milkshake.  

I'm generally partial to uber thick milkshakes — mostly due to my desire not to taste any milk at all in my shake and I so I tend to have a heavy hand with the ice cream amounts. You can use as much as you wish, or portion it out more, but really it's the summer and you should certainly treat yourself just a little bit!

These Boozy Mexican Chocolate Milkshakes have it all and just take 10 minutes to prepare! Spiced up with cinnamon and cayenne for a little bit of heat and spiked with tequila to keep the kids away! 

Print Save

Boozy Mexican Chocolate Milkshakes Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

• 1 quart dark chocolate ice cream, softened slightly
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, feel free to add more if you like it spicy
• 6 ounces tequila, divided

Directions

1. Place the ice cream, milk, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth but still thick. If the milkshake seems too thick to drink, add a little more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency.
2. Divide the milkshake between the glasses and pour in 1 1/2 ounces of tequila per serving. Stir to combine.
3. Serve immediately. 

Recommended

Hamilton Beach Blender

Vitamix 5200 Blender

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2aEs1vN

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

19 Desserts That May Leave You Kind of Drunk

View Slideshow: 19 Desserts That May Leave You Kind of Drunk

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2amLEGS

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

Herb Skillet Bread

Bread is what got me interested in baking. I've always been a homesteading sort of person and the thought of baking my own bread as a teenager appealed to me to much that I finally looked up a couple of recipes and tried my hand at baking my own crusty loaf of bread. Of course the crust was a little too crusty and the bread was dense. But I was hooked. Oh man, was I hooked.

After that first loaf, I immediately made another that same day. It actually came out worse. I didn't know why because I thought I did it the same way. What I didn't know was that there are small differences that can make big changes when making bread. It's a science, and I was learning.

From there I experimented with all kinds of bread. I mastered ciabatta. I made New York style bagels weekly. For dinner I would make this herb skillet bread to serve on the side. I wanted to learn everything I could about making bread at home.

If I am honest with you, if you have a good, solid recipe that has been tested very well, you can easily make a nice loaf of bread on your own the first try. It's just as a teenager, you get impatient and maybe don't measure things as well as you should.

If you want a beginner recipe, this herb skillet bread is perfect for you. It has shorter rise times and doesn't require any special skills or knowledge of baking with yeast. You can also try a simple white loaf. Once you get used to baking, a fun, twisty loaf like this Pane Bianco Italian Bread is really tasty.

But for now, a nice skillet bread like this is just what the family wants. It's nice and garlicky, and has a nice balance of herbs and saltiness. And when you sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top, I promise there won't be any leftovers. 

Print Save

Herb Skillet Bread Recipe

Embed

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de provence, divided
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

1. Mix together the water, maple syrup, and the yeast in a small, nonmetallic bowl. Allow to sit for at least 5 minutes for it to proof. (If you do not get a layer of foam over the water, you will need to try again with new yeast.)
2. In a mixer, add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and half the Herbes de Provence, then mix well. Add 1/4 cup of the oil, plus the yeast mixture to the bowl with the flour. Mix just until it comes together.
3. Knead using a dough hook on your stand mixer for 5 minutes, or by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes. The dough should come together in a silky ball. If the dough doesn't come together or seems too wet, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of extra flour to the dough.
4. Use half a tablespoon of the oil to lightly grease a large bowl. Place the dough in the ball and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour, when it is about doubled in size.  
5. Chop the garlic in half. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with some of the oil, then rub the skillet with the cut side of the garlic. Finely dice the garlic.
6. Deflate the dough and place into the oiled skillet and spread out to the edges. Top with the remaining herbs, salt, and the chopped garlic. Add the parmesan if using.
7. Tightly wrap with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.
8. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving. 

Recommended

Cuisinart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

Cuisinart Stand Mixer

Le Creuset Skillet

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2ak2WnF

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

14 Ways to Include More Basil in Your Life

View Slideshow: 14 Ways to Include More Basil in Your Life

via Food Fanatic http://ift.tt/2aPHK7I

Put the internet to work for you.

Turn off or edit this Recipe

Recommended for you