Sweet Italian Pasta Salad

Ahhhhhhh, the summer holidays are just around the corner. You know what that means … cook outs and glorious get togethers and the age old question pops up …

“What are your bringing?”

Tell them you are bringing Sweet Italian Pasta Salad.

It’s a recipe that I perfected last year but never bothered to blog about it. It was gone before I could actually snap a photo – it’s like that sometimes. Just how I rolls.

This pasta salad is easy peasy, the preparation of the additions is what takes the most time in my opinion. It’s worth the effort I promise.

Simple, I am all about simple and this dish is simple.  Rotini pasta works well for this pasta salad since it captures the dressing in it’s spiral shape.  I combine some great things like fresh sweet corn (but canned corn works, too), orange peppers, grape tomatoes, spinach, blue cheese and the pièce de résistance, Marzetti’s Sweet Italian Dressing.

What the what? It’s exactly what the name applies, a sweetened Italian Dressing and it’s delish. Yes, this sugar lover would think it’s delicious. I haven’t tried making this superb pasta salad with any other dressings but if I would have to guesstimate … I think it would still be good. So don’t be afraid to explore!

Wishing all my readers a Happy Memorial Day and would like to thank all those who serve and protect our nation!

Sweet Italian Pasta Salad
A Licious Original Recipe

Ingredients
4 cups of rotini pasta, cooked and drained (I used Barilla Whole Grain Rotini)
1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 cup corn (either fresh or canned, if canned make sure to drain)*
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup orange pepper, diced
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup Marzetti Sweet Italian Dressing

Directions
Cook pasta according to directions on box. While pasta is cooking prep your vegetables. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the veggies; spinach, corn, tomatoes, pepper, blue cheese and combine. Finally add the salad dressing to the mix until coated through out (Every bite should have a taste of dressing). Chill for at least 2 hours and serve with your favorite entree.

*If you decide to use canned corn, it does not have to be cooked before adding to the pasta however if your are using frozen or fresh corn be sure to cook!  I like to roast fresh corn in the oven.

Lemon Blueberry Bread

I was applying for a scholarship back in the day (which was a Wednesday) and I remember one of the essay questions had asked me what was my long term goal?

I knew. I KNEW! My little 18 year old heart was definite in it’s answer … owning a Bed & Breakfast. It would combine all the things that I loved along with the knowledge I was going to obtain at college for hotel/restaurant management.

Funny how your goals change – I currently don’t have a clue what my goals are … isn’t that a kick in the head!

However, if I were to have a B&B then this Lemon Blueberry Bread would be served.

I love having “dessert” for breakfast – I love dessert period, exclamation point.

This is what you would call a quick bread – to me it’s like a large muffin (I’m not bluffin’) that you share.

The tanginess of the lemon comes through in every bite thanks to the lemon juice, lemon yogurt, and lemon peel that is used in the recipe. The plump blueberries with it’s mild sweetness complements; it gives you a break from the acidity that is lemon. This bread is also dense yet moist. It’s a great contradictory food to break your fast with or have featured during brunch.

Lemon Blueberry Bread
Adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Lemon Bread

Ingredients:Bread
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup lemon yogurt ( I used Chobani Lemon Greek Yogurt)
1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries, fresh or thawed

Glaze
1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until combined. Beat in one egg at at time into creamed mixture. In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, and grated lemon rind and set aside. Sift together the remaining dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Add 1/4 dry and 1/4 wet ingredients to the creamed items until fully incorporated. Gently fold in blueberries into batter. In a large (8 1/2 inch x 4 1/2 inch) greased loaf pan add batter and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes.

While bread is baking make your lemon glaze. In a bowl whisk together lemon juice and sugar until sugar has dissolved, set aside.

Once bread has completed baking and is still hot poke with holes using your poker du jour (I like to use a wooden kabob skewer) through out the bread. Then spoon the lemon glaze over the bread and allow it to soak into it. Let the bread cool for approximately 15-20 minutes before removing it from the pan and slicing to serve.

Makes 1 loaf.

{Sponsored Post} Steak and Cheese Dip

Today’s post is a sponsored post and it’s brought to you by Jarlsberg Cheese Dip. Thank you Kitchen Play for this opportunity, my first sponsored post!

If you reside in Virginia, like me, you can find it in your local Kroger. It can also be found at Safeway and Walmart, just verify with your favorite store before venturing out to them.

Have you ever tried this stuff?!

Try it.

Try it alone with some crackers or 29 other ways, by the way I’m number 29.

If Paula Deen is the Queen of Butter then I am the Court Jester of cream cheese. I can’t get enough of the stuff! A dip that entails cream cheese is a winner for me. This appetizer is an idea that has been in my head for a bit.

So I had kind of a thought, what if I added all the components of my favorite steak and cheese sandwich and mix with cream cheese, heat, and serve — what would that taste like?

It tastes AH-MAZE-ING! Nirvana in your mouth and utilizing the Jarlsberg Cheese dip simply takes it to another level, the penthouse of levels. I am so glad that the thought in my head turned into a true winner in reality. When I am invited to a potluck this will be the dish I bring.

The nutty sweetness of the Jarlsberg Cheese Dip pairs extremely well with the green peppers, onions, mushrooms, steak, and cream cheese. The Jarlsberg dip is comprised of cheese, red onion, and mayonnaise; like I said good all on it’s own.

Steak and Cheese dip can be served with toasted French bread rounds, tortilla chips, mini Phyllo Cups, slathered on a piece of wheat bread ( what? I was hungry), and I plan to try wrapping it up in a crescent roll and serve it a la pinwheel. Perfect appetizer food!

Before I get to the recipe, be sure to head on over to Jarlsberg’s for a chance to win in their giveaway! You have until midnight Eastern time tonight to enter!

The giveaway will include a tailgate tote stocked with:
Jarlsberg Lite Cheese
new Jarlsberg Cheese Dip
Snofrisk (a Norwegian style cream cheese)
crispbreads
honey crèmes
honey vinegar.

Until Next Time,

Jennifer

Steak and Cheese Dip

An Original Licious Food Recipe

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces Neufchâtel Cheese, cubed
1 cup Jarlsberg Cheese Dip
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
2 Thinly Sliced Angus Beef Sirloin Philly Steak
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Pepper to season

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

In a casserole dish add cream cheese and Jarlsberg Cheese Dip, set aside.

In a heated skillet/pan saute the green pepper, onion, and mushroom. Remove from heat and add to casserole dish.

Cook Philly Steak in a heated skillet/pan with Worcestershire Sauce, salt, and pepper. Steak should be completely done and shredded.
Drain grease and add to casserole dish. Mix all the ingredients together and cover casserole dish with aluminum foil or lid and place in the oven.

Bake approximately 30-35 minutes until fully melted- no stringiness.

Serve with French Bread Rounds, Tortillas, or whatever you like.

Disclosure: I have been compensated for my time and groceries.

A Few of My Favorite Things

“Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things …”

Those things are cute and lovely however those are not my favorite things (at the moment). Since everything I have tried to make recently has been complete and utter failure. I have given up trying to do anything baking/cooking related for the rest of the week. May next week bring some great blogging my way and yours. So since yesterday was about love, my thought to you would be to share some things I love, just a day late.

I love nail polish and by love I mean LOOOOOOVE! Since I have all this down time from being unemployed I have been using some of my time to paint my nails and try out nail combos thanks to reading nail blogs. Those blogs are enablers. They are my pusher and welp, I have no will power. A job is what I be needing so I can continue funding my habit. The nail polish I am loving at the moment is China Glaze’s “Dorothy Who?”It is a beautiful shade of blue, dare I say Sapphire in color, and it’s glittery! It applies like a dream and when you apply some chunky silvery glitter polish to your tips; you can give Lady GaGa a run for her money (not really).

Next up is this fabulous candle that I got from Domestic Goddess Ltd on Etsy. Etsy is such a great place to find anything! You are looking for a gift then head on over to Etsy. I have a wishlist a mile long with all the great things I want. There are baking supplies, party supplies, scarves, hats, NAIL POLISH, jewelry, and the list can go on and on.

Back to the candle that holds a spot in my living room. This candle is called “Fat Kid Friday” and it smells like the most tempting sweet you can imagine. Light it up and let the smell waft over you. It feeds that need for sweets without putting anything on your hips. So if you are dieting or taking a better life approach and trying to curb your sweet tooth, this candle is like having your cake but not eating it. Oh, this candle does come with some bite size candies that you can devour, so if you don’t want to be tempted I’d advise you to tell the Domestic Goddess no to the candy.

Music. I love Music. So if you have some suggestions for me put them in the comments below. I listen to just about anything. What I am loving is Spotify. You connect with Spotify through your Facebook but unfortunately it is not everywhere say like Canada, sorry my friends to the North. It’s a listening party that you can customize. You want to know how the latest Colbie Callait is before buying? Take a listen on spotify. Want to create a Period Playlist a la that movie “No Strings Attached”? Do it in Spotify. If you have iTunes installed on your ‘puter it will sync with your iTunes and import those playlists to your spotify, allakhazam! Spotify allows for some great listening. My fave playlist of the moment is this GIGANTIC 80′s playlist, the creator is still adding music.

Cheese. If you love some good cheese then head on over to Kitchen Play, for the month of February they are doing 29 Ways to “Leap into Jarlsberg” and yours truly will be Number 29, no pressure. This dip is fabulous. I used it it for the dip to end all dips, which I will reveal on February 29th. I have plans to use it for my favorite quiche. If you like the nutty/sweetness of Swiss then I promise you will love this dip. It’s fun what masterpieces you can create with it. Be sure to check out the food bloggerswho have already contributed some ideas on Kitchen Play – spinach dip, Mushrooms, Pretzels, Cheesey Hummus …

 

Until Next Time,
Jennifer

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Caramel/Cheese Popcorn

Do you like your sweet with some salty? I do, too. Candy corn and peanuts, butter mints and peanuts, buttered popcorn and plain M&Ms … I could be the Bubba of sweet and salty mixes but I won’t.

Today, I am writing to you about what your Superbowl party needs – no WANTS! The combo of cheese popcorn and caramel popcorn. Have you seen this? I have been seeing this mixture on my grocers’ shelves as of late yet I resisted. What if I didn’t like it? That’s four plus dollars down the drain. Renokulous, RE-DONK-U-LOUS. Yet, I wanted to try it and on my own terms.

Have you ever heard of Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn? Their White Cheddar Popcorn is “Oh Em Gee” good! If it was a man, I would marry it …maybe a long term boyfriend. Over the holiday’s I won a box of Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn (more on that in another post coming soon). It has the right amount of tang from the cheese and does not make you feel like you need to go work some calories off at the gym after eating. It’s all natural, too, so no words you can’t pronounce on the ingredients list.

What to use for the caramel corn? I could always buy it and be done with it … no fuss, no muss. That’s just not me, I have the need to dabble in the kitchen and make messes in said kitchen. My catering teacher in high school told me I was a messy cook and I thought to myself, “duh.” Creativity can be messy, embrace it and then make sure you have cleaning supplies nearby or better yet a maid. Sadly, I don’t have the latter.

Luckily, a week ago my mail carrier delivered a new cookbook to me. It’s entitled Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home by Nina Wanat. GET THIS BOOK!

It’s beautifully illustrated; the way it is written and recipes are explained you will be a confident confectioner in no time. If you are looking for a gift for that “sweetie” in your life that loves to bake then get them “Sweet Confections”. You want to razzle dazzle a special man/lady in your life on Valentine’s Day with some homemade goodness … get this book! Toffee, Truffles, Fudge, Alcoholic Lollies …GET THIS BOOK!

When you combine Oogie’s White Cheddar popcorn and the buttery sweetness of Nina’s Caramel popcorn together, you have Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.  I combined equal parts of each popcorn into a rather large bowl and then gave it a good “Superbowl Shuffle” and serve.  That’s all I have to say about that (I love the movie, “Forrest Gump”).

A very special thank you to Nina Wanat and her publisher, LARK, for allowing me to re-print the recipe for Caramel Corn.

Until Next Time,

Jennifer

Caramel Corn
by Nina Wanat, Sweet Confections: Beautiful Candy to Make at Home, reprinted with permission

INGREDIENTS
10 cups popped popcorn, unsalted and unbuttered
1 cup roasted nuts, such as peanuts or almonds (optional)
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar, granulated
2 Tablespoons water
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 Tablespoon molasses
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 225F. Pour popcorn and roasted nuts (I optioned out for nuts), if using, into a roasting pan.

Combine sugars, water, butter, cream, corn syrup, molasses, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heatproof silicone spatula, until the mixture reaches 250F.

Remove from heat. Stir in the baking soda, and mix thoroughly ti incorporate.

Pour the syrup over the popcorn, and stir until popcorn is coated. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. The caramel corn is done when it’s dry and crispy when cool. Store in an airtight container.

White Pizza Dip

Here it is my Superbowl recipe. Wait for it … White Pizza Dip. Thank me (or Lipton) now. It contains a lot o’cheese, I do eat healthy -I promise. This is a potluck taker, a party pleaser — it is the sheezy! Want to get fancy with it? Stick it in a fondue or bread bowl.

A friend turned me on to this recipe at a long ago work potluck, it was love at first taste. I decided to take the recipe and make it mine. It became my go to for work potlucks and by omitting pepperoni and adding chopped tomatoes, it became vegetarian. I like to make a dish all can appreciate however if you are lactose intolerant then this dish is so not for you – fair warning.

This was my breakfast, lunch, and almost dinner yesterday. P.S. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. This is not the dish to partake of if you are planning to do some exercising. It makes it hard to hit that Reggaeton Stomp if this is in your belly.

Whita Pizza Dip is a socializing type food. A Superbowl Party is a perfect socializing event. It’s one of those days you don’t count calories. I turn into Fat Bastard, “Get in my BELLY!”  When I indulge in this dip, I like to compare it to a smoother version of the filling used in Lasagna. Three words to sum of this dish: Tangy, Cheesey, and Garlicky.

You can either be slow or fast with the making of this dip. I prefer to set it and forget it aka slow cooker. Make it ahead of time, it tastes even better the second day!

Until Next Time,

Jennifer

White Pizza Dip
Adapted from Lipton’s White Pizza Dip

Ingredients
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix

1 16 ounce container or reduced fat sour cream

1 cup of reduced fat ricotta cheese

4 ounces of cream cheese, cubed

1 cup mozzerella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup diced tomatoes, drained

Directions
In your slow cooker/crock pot add all ingredients. Set slow cooker/crock pot on HIGH and cook for approximately two hours; stirring occassionally.

Serve in a container of your choosing along with sliced Italian or French bread. In my case I used sliced toasted Garlic bread. Garnish with cheese and diced tomatoes (I would have garnished with diced tomatoes however I stuck the tomatoes in the freezer).

Momma’s Mac (and Cheese)

If comfort could be summed up in a dish, that dish would be macaroni and cheese. Pasta and cheese, yes please. It’s a dish that brings back memories of family dinners; my Mom and then Step- father at the dinner table with my sister and I exchanging thoughts and laughter. The dinner table was the “Switzerland” in my house growing up. We could bicker and argue everywhere else (and did) but the dinner table was off limits. Need peace add food to the mix! Who can fight when there is great food to be eaten. Perhaps that is why there are emotional eaters … food often equates to happiness or peace. I am totally guilty of it.

Ok, I am getting off tangent. Back to the Macaroni and Cheese. This is my Mom’s recipe with some tweaks by me. A recipe is just a guideline after all. My Mom’s Mac is a baked custardy mac and cheese. We did and do not eat the Kraft Easy Mac (no offense to Kraft) in my house. Artificial cheese does not comfort me. The real deal Holyfield does!

A good Mac and Cheese for me is simple; should be moist, seasoned, and cheesey … the more cheese “DA BETTA”. Also use good cheese, my favorite cheese is Cabot. The flavor does not go away once melted, if you have ever used sub par cheese then you know what I am talking about don’t you. I see you shaking your head. Another thing about cheese add varieties; don’t stop at one add more to the mix. There is no right or wrong.

Tip from my Momma: Leave some of the pasta water.I just learned this tip and it works! Don’t leave all of it, I say pour out about half of it. Should be somewhat below the pasta line. More pasta than water. I should have taken a photo of it to illustrate yet I didn’t. *slaps hand* BAD FOOD BLOGGER.

I hope everyone is having a good start to their 2012. I want to know, What is your comfort food?

Until Next Time,

Jennifer

Macaroni and Cheese

A Licious Food Original

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound of elbow macaroni, boiled as directed on the package

5 ounces (half a container) of Kraft Philadelphia Cooking Sauces Original Flavor*

4 ounces Cabot (half a block) Seriously Sharp Cheese, sliced

4 ounces Cabot (half a block) Sharp Cheese, sliced

4 ounces Gouda (I used Borden’s Gouda Cheese), sliced

1/2 stick of margarine or butter

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

In a large pot boil macaroni as directed on the back of the box. Drain at least half amount of the pasta water. Just a heads up, I use the large pot as my mixing bowl. Add cooking sauce and stir. Add cheese, one type of cheese at a time and stir. Add margarine/butter, stir and allow it to melt from the heat of the noodles (if your noodles have cooled simply melt the margarine/butter in the microwave.) Lastly, add the lightly beaten eggs to the pasta/cheese mixture and stir until incorporated.

Pour mixture into a casserole dish, a 2 or 3 quart casserole dish should suffice. The mixture should have some room to bubble. Another Momma Tip: Use a circular casserole dish if possible to avoid crispy edges and an overall even baking.

Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, the macaroni and cheese should be bubbling hot and slightly browned.

*NOTE: No Kraft Philadelphia Cooking sauce, substitute with either a cheese sauce or a can of evaporated milk. If substituting with milk be sure to add more cheese to compensate.*

2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 14,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 5 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Drop Sugar Cookies

As promised, my first Halloween-esque post! The good thing about this treat is that it can be made anytime not just Autumn/Halloween and believe me I make these quite often.

My Mom and youngest nephew, Jordan, are Sugar Cookie-aholics – seriously. When they see me it is their requested item. They don’t understand that sometimes you don’t feel like baking or that you don’t always have the ingredients in the house but since I love them dearly and I don’t see them as often as I should; I bake them sugar cookies. Guilt is a very powerful feeling and if sugar cookies make them happy then why not!

This is a very simple cookie to make. It only takes the very basic ingredients to make these cookies and as soon as you mix up the dough they can go in the oven to bake and then eat (cool them first to avoid the burning the roof of your mouth). These sugar cookies are soft morsels with just the right amount of sweetness to sooth anyone’s sweet tooth. You’ll never buy store bought sugar cookies again, I promise you!

In case you were wondering, the dough is quite sticky so this recipe will not make a good roll out and use cookie cutter type sugar cookie as I remembered that after mixing the dough. There went my idea of pumpkin cut sugar cookies – darn-it!

Until Next Time when I’ll be back with another Autumn/Halloween treat!

Jennifer

Drop Sugar Cookies

Adapted from America’s Test kitchen Holiday Cookie’s Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar

1 teaspoon Custard Powder or cornstarch*

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick of salted butter, softened

1/2 cup of Vegetable Shortening

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup of sanding sugar (your choice in color)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees, Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, cream of tartar, custard powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using your mixer cream butter and shortening together, approximately two minutes. Mix in sugar until incorporated. Add lemon and vanilla extract, mix. Add one egg at a time to the creamed mixture; mix for approximately 2 minutes each per egg. Finally add the dry ingredients (make sure mixer is on low) to the wet and mix until fully incorporated.

Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out dough balls dipping in sanding sugar before setting the dough on the baking sheet. Space out the balls to allow them to spread during baking.

Place cookie sheet with cookie dough in the oven, bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Let cool and eat!

*custard powder/cornstarch can be omitted, it’s optional. Not sure it even makes a difference but I simply like to use it.

 

 

 

Cupcake Mania WINNER

I have to say, my first ever giveaway was a success! Over 200+ entries/comments, my blog has …. never had that many comments.  Thank you for all the cupcake suggestions/ideas.  I think I will have to institute a cupcake of the month feature.

Without further ado, the winner of my first ever giveaway is (drumroll, please) RUTH MAYER HILL .  You will have 72 hours to claim your prize.

Congrats again, Ruth and thanks again to all that entered.  Hope everyone enjoyed Blog Mania and I wish I could give you all a prize but alas I’m not a baller, shot caller.

Next week be on the lookout for some “Autumn/Halloween” inspired posts.

Until Next Time,
Jennifer

Click on the photo to see the actual size.