Chickpea, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Salad

June 9, 2013 by · 3 Comments

Chickpea, Sundried Tomato and Feta Salad

I had this salad one night at my gym and decided the minute I tried it that I needed to recreate it at home.  I wanted to get something light because I was going to eat my real dinner later, but just needed something to hold me over while the girls went swimming.  The salad had wilted spinach mixed in which I would probably add the next time I make this, but I put mine over baby arugula because that is what I had.

I get sun-dried tomatoes at Trader Joe’s in a 3 ounce bag and they are perfect for this salad. They aren’t packed in oil, but they are julienned so you can just drop them right from the bag into this salad. The olive oil in the salad softens them up perfectly.

I hope you enjoy this yummy salad!

Chickpea, Sundried Tomato and Feta Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas – drained and rinsed
  • 1 3 oz package of sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • juice of half a lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Arugula for salad

Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients except arugula in a bowl and mix until combined. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
  2. Serve over a plate of arugula. Enjoy!

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Mint Julep

May 29, 2013 by · 3 Comments

Mint Julep

The Mint Julep – it isn’t just for the Kentucky Derby anymore.

If you are like me and have mint taking over your garden (even though you tried pulling it all out this winter) then this is a great drink for you. A little less sweet than another favorite minty drink, the Mojito, this is a great cocktail to sip on a hot summer day!

If you don’t have a muddler you can use a wooden spoon to crush your mint to get the oils to release.

Simple syrup is so easy to make and it keeps well in the fridge, too. To make a simple syrup just add equal parts sugar and water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil and then simmer until all the sugars have dissolved.  Allow syrup to cool before using and store in a covered container in the fridge.  To make a “less sweet” simple syrup you can adjust the measurements accordingly.  Your syrup will just be a little thinner than the basic recipe.

Enjoy!

Mint Julep
 
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Ingredients
  • About 4-5 mint leaves
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • 2½ ounces bourbon (we used Maker’s Mark)
  • Additional mint leaves for garnish

Instructions
  1. Place the 4-5 mint leaves and simple sugar in the bottom of your glass and muddle well to release the oils from the mint.
  2. Add bourbon, ice and stir. Garnish with more mint leaves
  3. Enjoy!

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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

May 25, 2013 by · 3 Comments

huli huli chicken

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day Weekend! We are heading to the beach, but I wanted to post a quick recipe that is perfect for your holiday BBQ.

Huli apparently means “turn” in Hawaiian. Turn the chicken a few times on the grill and you have a great start for dinner. I always pound my chicken breasts out all over to about 3/4 inches thick before grilling and I swear that is the best tip ever for evenly cooked juicy grilled chicken.

I revised the recipe to feed just my family, but the original recipe from Taste of Home feeds a crowd.

Enjoy!

Huli Huli Chicken
 
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Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sherry (or chicken broth)
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, pounded to 1-2 inch thickness and cut in half
  • Directions
  • In a small bowl, mix the first six ingredients. Reserve ½ of the marinade
  • for basting; cover and refrigerate. Add chicken to remaining marinade in a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
  • Drain and discard marinade from chicken.
  • Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink; baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last 5 minutes.

Instructions
  1. #instruction#

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Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake

May 15, 2013 by · 2 Comments

Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake

First a quick public service announcement….I wanted to let anyone in the Raleigh area know that if you are looking for a Realtor in the Triangle (or know of someone who is,) my husband, Jim (Jacobs), is now working with RE/MAX in Cary. Check out his site here. Thank you:-).

So, here is one more of my mom’s recipes.  This really is the best way to make strawberry shortcake.  There is just something about the sweet biscuit with the mashed strawberries and freshly whipped cream that creates the ultimate in yummy desserts.

My girls devoured theirs and I savored every sweet bite.

Hurry, while you can still get fresh strawberries and make this.  Here in NC we probably have a few more weeks.

Enjoy!

Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter (cut into small pieces)
  • ¾ cup buttermilk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup of chilled whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
  • Fresh Strawberries (2-3 pints) – hulled and cut into quarters
  • Additional Sugar

Instructions
  1. Combine flour ⅓ c. sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Make well in center.
  2. Mix together buttermilk and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture, just until ball forms.
  3. Knead gently 5-6 times on floured board. Pat into ¾ thickness. Cut into 3″ rounds. Place on baking sheet. Lightly brush with milk. Sprinkle with sugar.
  4. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes, until the tops are a light golden brown.
  5. To make whipped cream place the cream in a bowl and beat until it starts to thicken a bit. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and confectioner’s sugar. Continue beating until thick (but do not over beat.)
  6. Place cut strawberries in a bowl and add enough sugar to sweeten to your liking. (when strawberries are in season you may need less sugar than you would off-season.) Let the strawberries sit for about 20 minutes and then mash to break up the berries into smaller pieces.
  7. To assemble, cut shortcakes in half through the center. Place one half on a plate and top with strawberries. Place the other half of the shortcake on the strawberries and then top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
  8. Enjoy!

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11 Things I Learned From My Mom – Happy Mother’s Day!

May 12, 2013 by · 5 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

So much of what we do or who we are in life comes from our Mom. I was reading an article earlier this week that was talking about how people say that children are so resilient and can overcome tragic events early in life. The article rejected this notion by pointing out that our childhood is the most formative time in our life and the good or the bad that happens to us during our childhood shapes who we are as adults.  Not only does our childhood shape who we are, but just as importantly it shapes our values.  I thank my mom for all the good she brought to my life as a child.

When we look at our values they  form two things in us: 1)who we are and 2)who we strive to be.

I don’t claim to be a perfect adult. As a matter of fact I often think, gosh, what could I do to be a better person, mom, wife?  However, I do think I do pretty darn well.  I am happy and content and my kids seem happy, too.  We all have our days, but in general I thank my mom (and dad and God) every day for the life I have been given and the values that she instilled in me as a child and even now as an adult and a mom.

So in honor of Mother’s Day I wanted to share 11 things (values) that I have learned in life from my mom.  Some things I think I do pretty well with and others I work on every day.   My mom isn’t perfect either, although she was the perfect mom to my brothers and me.  So here they are in no particular order……

  1. It never helps to yell and definitely don’t swear (the yelling part is hard as a mom sometimes:-))
  2. Plant a garden and take good care of it (both veggies and flowers)
  3. Always have dinner with your family (even when you are incredibly busy – find the time)
  4. Go to church every Sunday and be a good Christian (working on this one, but definitely getting there)
  5. Work hard (both at home and at work)
  6. Always put a square meal on the table (protein, vegetable and a starch)
  7. Almost always cook from scratch (but it’s ok to buy something pre-made every once in a while , too.)
  8. Volunteer (I do better at this at certain times than others)
  9. Keep your kids busy and well-rounded (not just sports, but music, drama and church activities, too)
  10. Family comes first (but take time for yourself, too)
  11. Be thrifty (even if you have money to spend)

I hope my daughters have this same list one day, too……………..

Mom

Here is the link to a collection of  my mom’s recipes on BWL.  Her strawberry pie is one of my most popular posts right now.  My all-times favorite is still her Zucchini Bread.

I love you mom and thank you for all that you have given me in life.  You are the best!

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