Just In Time For Your First Summer Cookout

May has arrived bringing Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Graduation Season (yep, in only 3 weeks my first baby will walk across that stage and get his diploma) and of course, cookout/backyard barbecue season.  

Have you fired up the grill for the first time? Do you have plans for your first cookout, or maybe you've already been invited to one? Memorial Day is seen as the kickoff to summer, and it will be here before you know it. 

This recipe is sure to become your new go-to for a cookout take-along that everyone wants the recipe for. If you're hosting the gathering, you better really like every single person you invite, because after a plate of this, they are going to want to come back over and over. 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad is terrific for all your summer parties, picnics and outdoor suppers. It has to be made ahead to soak up all the flavor of the dressing, so you can assemble it totally last minute. It has some unique flavors you might have never though of for pasta salad, but I promise you will be blown away how well they play together. 

I am so excited for warm weather and all the fun outdoor activities that go with it. Pasta salad is always a hit no matter when or how you serve it, so I hope this one makes its way to your menu soon!

Why Add Dressing To Warm Pasta

When you mix the warm pasta with the Italian dressing, it acts like a sponge to soak up all that flavor. The longer it sits, the better the flavor. 

Do I Rinse The Pasta

No! Many pasta salad recipes call for rinsing under cold water and draining. Not this one! Simply drain and then leave warm. 

What Kind Of Veggies To Use

This recipe is great because the possibilities are endless when it comes to the vegetables to use. You could give it more of an Italian twist with black olives, red onion and cheese!

Where To Find Canned Artichokes and Hearts Of Palm

Both of these are normally on the canned vegetable aisle. In my store they are usually near the end of the selection, right next to each other. 

What Are Hearts Of Palm

If you've never had them, hearts of palm are a literally the inside of a palm tree. They have a slightly sweet, mild flavor. When canned, they are in a brine that is best rinsed off. They can be added to salads or eaten as is. My Hearts of Palm Salad is a delicious way to include them in your menu.

How To Store Leftover Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Pasta Salad will last 2-3 days in the fridge in a container with a tight fitting lid. You will want to stir every time you serve.

Best Tips

*Do not rinse pasta before adding dressing. You want the warm pasta to soak all the flavor up.

*Regular Italian dressing works fine too. I like the extra "zip" of the zesty.

*Sun-dried tomatoes can be found with the olives and pickles or on the canned tomato aisle.

*Any short-cut pasta would work: elbows, shells, rotini, etc.

 *Swap out the veggies for any you like. Some suggestions: Red onion, black olives, cherry tomatoes, green onions, sweet cherry peppers, red bell pepper, mushrooms.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

1 lb. mini penne, cooked and drained

1 (16 oz.) bottle zesty Italian dressing

1 envelope Italian dressing dry mix

1 English cucumber, diced

1 (10 oz.) jar green olives, drained

1 (8 oz.) jar sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 (14 oz.) can whole artichokes, rinsed, drained and chopped

1 (14 oz.) can hearts of palm, rinsed, drained and chopped 

1 TBS dried parsley

In a medium bowl whisk together Italian dressing and dry Italian mix. When pasta is cooked and drained, add to a large bowl. Pour dressing over warm pasta and stir well. Chill for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Just before serving, add all veggies and stir well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 

Inspired by South Your Mouth

Easter Side Dish

If you haven't been paying attention, there are now less than two weeks until Easter.  Have you got your menu planned? Even if we probably won't be having huge family gatherings, that doesn't mean the food doesn't need to be on point! I will plan a big spread even if it's just the 4 of us, like last year, or our family plus my parents. Holidays are a time to enjoy those foods we look forward to so much, no matter what! 

How about a new side dish that would be delicious with your Easter ham, is simple as can be, and screams spring time? Sound good? Then you've come to the right place! Oh, and don't worry if you don't need another dish for Easter, because these are easy enough for a weeknight supper too! 

Do you love artichokes? We can't get enough. I am always on the lookout for ways to use the canned artichoke hearts. Ironically I have never had a fresh artichoke, and am actually they intimidate the heck out of me. I know I would enjoy the leaves as much as I do the heart, but I just haven't gotten the courage up to try them. Someday...maybe...

In the meantime when the canned ones are inexpensive, versatile and so yummy, I will keep coming up with ways to use those! I've done then Au gratin style, of course in spinach and artichoke dip, and salads like my Quick Artichoke and Hearts of Palm Salad. 

The crunchy topping on this gives it a great texture contrast with the soft artichokes. For not having a long ingredient list, they really bring the flavor! 

Spring time is a great time to try a veggie maybe you don't think of a lot. Your Easter menu would love something unique and new alongside all the traditional favorites we love. 

Baked Artichokes

2 (14 oz.) cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained well and patted dry

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

2 TBS butter, melted

1 tsp. dried parsley

2 TBS grated Parmesan/Romano cheese

Salt and Pepper 

Preheat oven to 375. Place artichokes in 2 quart casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, melted butter, parsley and grated cheese. Mix well. Sprinkle over top of artichokes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned on top. 

 

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Shared at Meal Plan Monday

17 Years

May 17, 2003, 4:30 pm...I walked down the aisle to a handsome man waiting for me, ready to spend the rest of my life with him. A man whom I had already been with for 6 years. See, May 17th has always been our anniversary. For those of you who have never heard the story, Adam and I were married 6 years to the day AND time of our first date. May 17, 1997 4:30 pm he picked me up for our first date; and 6 years later that is the exact minute I walked down the aisle on my daddy's arm to begin a life with that man I had fell in love with. 

So yes, today is our anniversary. With it being Sunday and having 2 kids and restaurants only slowly starting to open for dine in, we decided for a special meal at home. Can you say surf and turf? I am patiently waiting for supper, but it's getting hard knowing I have steak, shrimp and lobster in my future. Plus corn on the cob! I think the only person more excited than me might be the 15 year old. LOL That's right, our kids get to join us for our special anniversary dinner, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I decided today was the perfect day to share my hubby's absolute favorite salad I make for him. And if we weren't having such a huge meal already, I would definitely make it for him tonight. I actually made it part of our at-home Easter dinner this year, and he was thrilled.

Why is it his favorite? Easy. The hearts of palm. They are one of his favorite veggies, and all of us have grown to love them too. What are they? Literally, the heart of a palm tree. No joke! If you've never tasted them, I would say they are similar to an artichoke heart, which ironically are also in this salad. Both are sort of briny, and have an unique flavor. 

We love this topped with a sweet onion dressing, which I just buy in the bottle, but you could easily make a homemade version, or dress it with your favorite dressing. But I'm telling you the sweet dressing with the briny veggies make for a tasty flavor combo. 

This would make a terrific salad for all summer long! Perfect for backyard barbecues, or even a light supper on a hot night! I would add some fresh fruit and crusty bread and call it dinner! 

Happy Anniversary to my love. I've loved you for 23 years, and we've built a beautiful life together. I can't wait to see what the next 17 years bring! 

Hearts of Palm Salad

3 hearts of Romaine, chopped

1 (2.5 oz.) pouch real bacon bits

1 (15 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 (14 oz.) jar hearts of palm, drained

Sweet Onion Dressing

In a large bowl combine all veggies and bacon. Mix well. Serve with dressing on the side if you're serving it to a group. If just your family, add dressing to taste and mix well. Suggested mix ins: Feta cheese, chopped avocado, sliced mushrooms, nuts, dried cranberries.  

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Whole Grain Challenge with Nature's Harvest® {A Feature and Giveaway}

"Whole Grains." Everybody is talking about them, and you can't go down the aisles of your grocery store without seeing them around every turn. That's because they are an important part of a nutritious diet! The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends that adults eat 48 grams or more of whole grains daily and children ages 4-13 years old eat a minimum of 40-48 grams per day. However, studies have shown that the majority of children and adults are not consuming the recommended amount of whole grains.

This is why Nature's Harvest® Bread is so excited to launch the Whole Grain Challenge to encourage families to include 48 grams of whole grains into their diets every single day.  From July 13 to August 10, participants can take the whole grain pledge on the Nature’s Harvest® Facebook page and they will automatically be entered into a weekly sweepstakes.

If you've never tried Nature's Harvest®, let me tell you why you should! 

Each variety of Nature’s Harvest® bread is baked with:

At least 8 grams of whole grains per serving
No artificial flavors or colors
No high fructose corn syrup 
Since ALL Nature’s Harvest® breads are baked with at least 8 grams of whole grains per serving, it’s an easy way for moms to provide her family the whole grains they need… no matter the variety.
Nature’s Harvest® bread is now available to consumers nationwide and come in delicious varieties including:
100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Bread
Honey Wheat Made with Whole Grain Bread
Butter Top Made With Whole Grain White Bread
Butter Top Made with Whole Grain Wheat Bread

Now you can have bread that is soft, flavorful and perfect for every day use that your family will love that you can feel absolutely great about giving them. With back to school time just around the corner, and all those pb&j sandwiches going with the little ones, it's the perfect time to make the switch!

I was super excited when my friends at Nature's Harvest® asked me to try their bread and come up with a fun recipe to share with all of you.

One of our favorite supper time combos inspired me. Soup and Grilled Cheese. It's an American classic, and while 99% of the time, it's the standard tomato soup and American cheese, this time I decided to switch it up. I took that grilled cheese sandwich to the next level! I basically took one of my favorite appetizer dips and stuffed it between two slices of bread. Genius, I know. 

With busy school days almost here, simple, tasty, fast meals we can get on the table and still feel good about are a must, and using Nature's Harvest® for a soup and sammy meal gives us just that. Oh, and the great folks at Nature's Harvest have also provided me with a fun giveaway for you too. Just scroll down under the recipe to see how to enter! 

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese

1 loaf Nature's Harvest® Butter Top Made with Whole Grain White Bread

Margarine or Butter, softened

1 (14 oz.) can artichokes, chopped

6 oz. fresh spinach

3 TBS olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

6 TBS sour cream

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

3 c. finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook garlic in oil for 30 seconds just until fragrant. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add artichokes and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and Parmesan, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread margarine on one side of slices of bread. Lay margarine side down in large skillet. Add about 2-3 TBS mozzarella cheese, and 2-3 TBS of spinach mixture to bread. Top with another slice of bread, margarine side up. Cook until browned on all sides. Serve with a cup of your favorite soup.

 

***GIVEAWAY***

Leave a comment telling me your favorite sandwich! Include an email address so I can find you easy. 

(1) Winner Will Receive:

(1) $5 off coupon for Nature's Harvest® Bread

(1) $25 Visa Gift Card

Contest Ends: August 7, 2015

Disclaimer:  The information and coupons have been provided by Nature’s Harvest® so that I could try the product and share my thoughts and information about Nature’s Harvest® bread. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Nature’s Harvest®. They also provided me with the prize package for the giveaway, but I am in charge of running it and choosing a winner.

Summer Salad...Hold The Mayo

I love summer. I love everything about summer. The sun. The heat. The water. The FOOD! I crave summer time foods year round (Yeah, I'm the girl that you will find making potato and macaroni salad while the snow falls!) but they never taste quite as good as they do in the backyard on a warm summer evening.

However, the one thing I find that most of our favorite summer dishes (especially the sides) have in common is mayo. Now, I love mayo. I eat it by the bucket loads...on sandwiches, in salads, from the jar with a spoon..okay that one might be pushing it; but it's probably my most used condiment. But during the hot summer days, sometimes mayo isn't your friend.

One, depending on the time of day, mayo can seem a little heavy. We like to eat later in the evenings during summer vacation, and a few times, salads with mayo have just seemed a little too much at that time of day. And two, this being the biggest issue, mayo and sunshine do NOT mix. If you're having any outdoor party or meal, those mayo filled salads must be kept chilled, and let's face it, that's not always practical.

So, I set out to make a delicious, summer quality salad/side dish that didn't have one ounce of mayo in it. Not one drop. I wanted something with a lot of veggies, but a light dressing that would could hold up to the heat and sunshine.

This is what I came up with. I was inspired by artichokes and olives because, well, if I'm being honest, I was just hungry for them. And the hearts of palm? If you've never had them they fall into that same category of salty, briny...mmm good. They are one of Mr. E's favorites, so I threw those in too. If you go to look for them, they are usually right next to the canned artichokes.

Feel free to add whatever veggies you love, pretty much anything would be delicious in here. In fact, I wanted to add zucchini too, and simply forgot it at the store, so it's definitely going in next time!

Summer salads are so tasty, and we all love the creamy mayo filled ones. But after you've eaten 100 lbs of those this summer, maybe something lighter could go on the menu too!

Quick Artichoke Salad

1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 (14 oz.) can hearts of palm, drained and sliced

1 (14 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, well drained

1/2 c. black olives, sliced

1/2 c. green olives, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

 2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS red wine vinegar

1 TBS lemon juice

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 TBS dried parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine and toss all veggies. In a small bowl whisk together oil, vinegar lemon juice and garlic powder. Pour over veggies. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Are You Ready For Some Football??? {A Post For Earth Fare}

It's finally here people! Super Bowl weekend is upon us. Okay, so maybe I'm a little more excited than I should be. But let's face it. Even if you aren't a football fan. Even if you don't know what teams are playing. Even if you don't care about the commercials or the half time show...we can all unite behind one aspect of Sunday's game. One important, universal tradition near and dear to all our hearts...the FOOD!

Sure, I love the game. I love the excitement. I love to watch all 4 quarters of football. But I realize in the world of women, I'm part of the exception group. (And yes, I remind my husband often how lucky he is to have a wife who not only likes the game, but understands it as well!) Many of you ladies out there could care less about those 4 hours Sunday night, but you still put on the happy face, fire up the ovens and make sure all the pigskin fans in your life have a great time.

Here is a dish that is as simple as chopping, stirring and pouring; and in about a half hour, you have something creamy, delicious and perfect for dipping! In fact, this one is so good, you might want to make two batches because it's going to go fast! Especially when you are eating the first before you can set it out for the others!

If you love spinach artichoke dip, this is very similar. And it's not missing the spinach because we don't like the green stuff. We love it! I just felt like something a little different this time. Plus, if you've got kids at your Super Bowl party, the spinach might turn them off a little, but this cheesy goodness won't! But feel free to add some spinach for extra flavor. I'm sure it would be delicious!

Sunday will be one of the biggest foodie days of the year. Be sure to have yummy things for everyone to nibble on, as they root for their favorite team. Or in our case, with our team sitting this one out, yummy things to nibble on while we watch the commercials and scream at the refs! 

Hot Artichoke Dip

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. mayo

1 (14 oz.) can artichokes in water, drained and chopped

1 tsp. Tabasco

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, mayo, artichokes, hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, cheese and salt. Stir to combine. Spread into a 9 inch pie plate or a quiche plate. Bake for 25 minutes. Increase heat to 375 and bake 5-10 minutes more until browned on top. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers, pita chips, etc. (Or seriously....eat it with a spoon!)

Shared on The Country Cook Jan.30, 2015

Artichokes at Very Good Recipes

Do You Have An Abundance?

Zucchini. Do you it have it "coming out of your ears" so to speak? I know so many summer gardens out there are over flowing with it, and there is only so much zucchini bread you can make! I don't have the green thumb in our house, but I live with two boys who have two sets of them, and every year they plant a garden, and even during the summers when other things have a hard time growing, I always end up with an abundance of zucchini, so I was super excited to find this recipe!

Ironically enough, my two little farmers weren't able to plant a garden this summer, but I have a dear friend who has been very generous sharing her bounty with me, including the gigantic zucchini that inspired this recipe. I wanted to do something different with it, and I thought a salad would be a nice twist. I think zucchini is sometimes looked at as something you eat cooked, not raw, but this dish is going to change all that!

If your kids are veggie lovers like mine, they will flip for this...according to my almost 10 year old! Seriously, he couldn't stop eating it! And with something like this, he didn't have to! It is so crunchy, so flavorful, so delicious, it's going to become a go-to in the summer for us, and hopefully you, in no time!

Have other garden fresh veggies sitting in the crisper drawer to use? Add them! It's so versatile, it will be yummy no matter what! I am a huge artichoke heart fan, and was happy to have yet another recipe featuring those too. 

If you make this, be sure to do so for people you really love. Why? Because they are going to keep coming back again and again for more! If you make it to take to a potluck, cook-out or party, be sure to jot down the recipe in multiple copies because everyone is going to ask for it! 

Marinated Zucchini Salad 

Adapted from Taste of Home

1 extra large zucchini (or 4 medium), peeled and diced

1 (2.4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained

1 ( 6 oz.) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water, drained, rinsed and chopped

3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 envelope Ranch dip mix

1 c. Italian dressing

1 TBS dried parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing and dry dip mix. In a large bowl combine zucchini, artichokes, olives and mushrooms. Stir well. Pour dressing over. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. 1 hour before serving, add tomatoes and toss again. Drain well before serving. 

 

Shared on The Country Cook Aug. 15, 2014

Zucchini at Very Good Recipes

Disclaimer: As a Field Editor of Taste of Home, I share my own thoughts and opinions of this recipe. I am not a paid employee. 

A Blogger's Craving

Well, it's January 3rd people. It's all over for another year. If you're like me and this time of the year is a little depressing, believe me, I know how you feel. For a couple weeks post holidays I'm always in a little bit of a funk. I can't help it. I feel like there is nothing to look forward to. Which, I yes I know, is completely ridiculous, but with the dark cold days, my mood isn't always the best. However, it's a new year, and we had a fantastic Christmas, so I'm going to look on the bright side and be happy this is my first post of 2014, and it's a great one!

Many times on this blog, you read that recipes hit our table because of requests from everyone from my husband, to my son, to my dad, to my mom! But today, I've got a dish for you that is all about me! This meal came to be because of one simple thing. I was craving artichokes and needed to find way to include them in a meal to satisfy said craving.

If you love artichokes too, this dish is for you. If you love mushrooms, this dish is for you. If you love pasta in cream sauce, this dish is for you. If you love chicken...well, you get the picture. This is one of those dinners you're family will be so impressed with (heck, it's even nice enough to entertain with) but truly isn't that hard at all. It can feed a crowd too, which is a great way to make not so cheap ingredients like chicken and artichokes stretch a little farther.

My cravings don't always get the same attention as my loved ones; and that is okay with me. It's my job to makes sure their stomachs are full, and taste buds are satisfied. But sometimes a girl just has to treat herself, and listen to her inner foodie too. Especially when a little bit of seasonal depression has set in, and food is one of the few comforting things around!

Chicken, Artichoke and Mushroom Egg Noodles
1. 5 lbs. chicken tenders, cut into large chunks
4 TBS olive oil, divided
1 lb. egg noodles
8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained well and chopped
2 c. heavy cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 TBS butter, divided
1 TBS flour
4 TBS dried parsley, divided
2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 TBS olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and wipe out skillet if necessary. Add 2 TBS olive oil and bring back up to heat. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook until mushrooms are brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add artichokes and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add 1 TBS butter. Allow to melt. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute. Add Add cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer about 10 minutes until slightly thickened. (Should coat the back of a spoon.) Add thyme and 2 TBS parsley. Return chicken to pan and stir to combine. Keep warm. When noodles are cooked, drain well and return to hot pot. Add 3 TBS butter, 2 TBS parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well. To serve top noodles with chicken sauce and garnish with more parsley if desired.

Artichokes at Very Good Recipes

Side Dish or Lunch

When the thermometer starts to creep up on 90, I don't know about you, but we start eating lighter and lighter. We still want to be full and satisfied, but huge plates of hot food don't even sound appetizing. So I love finding dishes that can fill us up but still be refreshing enough they aren't heavy and "brick like" in our stomachs.

Pasta salads are one of those things I don't think you can ever have too many versions of. There are a thousand different ways to make them, and everyone has their preferences. Some like them creamy, some say hold the mayo. Some like lots of veggies. Some want meat added in. However you create your favorite one, I think there is always room to adapt and change to make it just a little bit different every time.

Now, most of the time I am 100% a creamy pasta salad lover. I want my pasta salad dressed with mayo, sour cream, or both! But I am smart enough to know these don't always work well on hot, sunny days, and that's when a oil based dressing needs to become the star. I also love the fact that when I make a huge bowl of a pasta salad as a side dish for supper, most of the time I have enough left for lunch the next day. They only taste better after they sit! In fact, this one is so good, you might want to make a batch of it specifically for lunches all week, leaving it to "soak" in the flavor in the fridge.

When I created this, I knew 2 things. I wanted to include artichoke hearts because we love them and I hadn't cooked with them in a while, and I wanted a non mayo dressing. The veggies I used were simply what sounded good at the time, but this would work fantastic with the bounty I know some of you are getting fresh from the garden. In fact, the next time I make it I want to include some of our cherry tomatoes, and add in hearts of palm...another favorite of ours!

Side dish or lunch, a good pasta salad is a favorite summer time treat of many. Add in lots of veggies and a flavorful dressing, it truly is a party in a bowl!

Artichoke Pasta Salad

1 lb. raditore pasta, or other short pasta

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water, chopped

3 mini sweet peppers, 1 each orange, red and yellow, finely chopped

3/4 c. broccoli florets, chopped

3/4 c. cauliflower, chopped

1 TBS Italian seasoning, plus extra for garnish

1 small bottle Italian dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cool water and drain well. Set aside. In a large bowl combine artichoke hearts, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower. Mix well. Add pasta. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Pour dressing over. Stir gently, but very well to combine. Chill until serving, at least 2 hours. Garnish with extra seasoning.

*NOTE* If you can't find the mini sweet peppers, 1 large bell pepper in any of the colors would work great too.

Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain July 10, 2013
Shared on The Country Cook July 12, 2013

Back In Time

Right after the beginning of the New Year, a dear friend asked me if I had any "foodie resolutions". Well, as a general rule I don't make New Year's resolutions. Personally I think they are just asking for us to feel let down, disappointed in ourselves and guilty when we break them. But she did get me to thinking about what I could do here on EMM as a resolution type of thing. Two years ago I vowed to make at least 1 new recipe per week for the entire year, and I DID! Some weeks even more than one. But to be honest I don't think I could do that again if I tried. Our schedules weren't nearly as busy back then as they are now, and some weeks I just need to rely on old stand bys to make sure there is food on the table each night. So after a little thought I decided on a foodie resolution that will not only help out all of my readers but also me. See, there are quite a few recipes I blogged back when only my mom and husband read EMM; so why not go back and "re-blog" some of those? That way, they are like new recipes to all of you but still things that I don't necessarily need to "test" before I feel comfortable sharing them. They are already blog approved, just hidden in the vault as I like to call it.

So to start off this 2013 resolution, I chose one of my favorite recipes of the bunch. This is simple yet delicious. Easy yet elegant. And 100% delicious. If you are a fan of artichokes and lemon, this will excite you as much as it does me. Plus, I love the fact it uses boneless chicken thighs because they are one of the most affordable cuts of chicken in the store!

I hope this experiment of going back in time on EMM turns out as fun and tasty as I plan, and this recipe is the perfect way to begin!

Chicken with Artichokes and Lemon

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry (about 6 pieces)

1/4 c. all purpose flour

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 c. chicken broth

2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 TBS butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garlic Salt to taste

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge both sides in flour. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Add broth, and artichokes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until chicken is almost cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Scatter lemon slices over chicken, cover and cook until chicken is done, 2-3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken, artichokes and lemons to platter. Add butter to skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in thyme and parsley. Cook 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened and "shiny". Pour sauce over chicken.

Shared on The Country Cook Jan. 18, 2013
Shared on Make Ahead Meals Jan. 21, 2013
Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box Jan. 22, 2013

Intimidating Vegetable

I love artichokes. Or should I say artichoke hearts because I've never had anything but the heart. I'm sorry but whole artichokes scare the crap out of me! The thought of cleaning them, knowing which part to cut away, which part to keep, how to cook them, serve them~ all of it makes me cringe. So my solution? Eat everything and anything I can find that contains artichokes hearts and cook with the canned variety whenever I can. I use them in pastas, salads, dips, etc, but they are always one part of a dish, not the star. Until now! I was reading about canned artichoke hearts online and found this fantastic idea. I don't know why I never thought of it before on my own. I guess b/c of the "canned" part. I realize many people prefer the frozen artichoke hearts, and most who said they made this recipe used those instead, but I have yet to find a store in my area that carries them, so I am happy to keep the canning companies in business by being a return customer. These are absolutely delicious and something I will definitely be making again. A simple side dish w/ one of my favorite vegetables that really allows the natural flavor to shine through. I know when something scares or intimidates you, the best thing to do is fade it head on and conquer it. And maybe someday I will do that w/ fresh artichokes, but until that day comes I'm okay w/ finding ways around it too!

Roasted Artichoke Hearts from Food.com

2 (15oz) cans artichoke hearts in water
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
2 TBS butter, melted
2 TBS lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375. Place artichoke hearts in a colander. Rinse very well with water. Drain. Place on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat dry. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and toss to coat. Roast in oven uncovered for 1 hour, stirring a few times. When slightly brown, combine lemon juice and butter. Pour over hot artichokes and mix well.

~Join me for Tasty Tuesday on Formula Mom~

Shared on Mandy's Recipe Box May 8, 2012
Shared on Chef in Training May 8, 2012 
Shared on Lady Behind The Curtain May 9, 2012 
Shared on Newlyweds Blog May 9, 2012 
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage May 10, 2012 
Shared on The Country Cook May 11, 2012

Artichokes at Very Good Recipes
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From My Heart To His

I have 2 people in this house whom I aim to please w/ tasty meals on a daily basis. I'm not going to lie to you. One is easier than the other. Not b/c the older of the two is picky by any means, but let's face it, the 7 year old, well, my 7 year old anyway, will pretty much eat anything I put in front of him, especially if it contains one of his diet staples~ cheese, cheese and cheese :) Seriously though, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm very lucky to not only have no picky eaters in my house, but two "boys" who are more than willing to play along w/ my kitchen science experiments. But when I come across a recipe that I am excited to make for my husband, b/c it contains a favorite of his, that is a good day! That is exactly what happened when my friend, Jenna, over at Newlyweds Blog shared her Hearts of Palm Salad recipe. I actually didn't know, until this past summer how much Adam enjoyed hearts of palm. Have you ever had them? If not, I would say they are closest to an artichoke heart; but if you haven't had those, I'd say think olive like. I had never had one until Adam brought home a can to snack on, and I was immediately hooked. Unfortunately though, my recipe box had zero dishes containing them. That was until this gem came along. This salad is amazing! It's packed full of flavor, and could actually be a meal in itself. Jenna has a homemade dressing she uses for it (click the link above to see the original recipe and the amazing dressing) but I used bottled dressing I had on hand. Adam loved every bite and was so excited to have a new way to enjoy this unique vegetable. I'm so happy to say I pleased my husband, straight from my heart.

Hearts of Palm Salad From Newlyweds Blog
1 1/2 Romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 c. real bacon bits
1(15 oz.) can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1 (15 oz.) can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 c. feta cheese crumbles
Creamy Vidalia Onion dressing

Combine lettuce, bacon, hearts of palm, artichokes, avocado. Toss to combine. Top w/ cheese crumbles and add dressing to taste. If not serving immediately, wait to add avocado to avoid browning.

Shared on This Chick Cooks Nov. 30, 2011
Shared on Miz Helen's Country Cottage Dec. 1, 2011
Shared on The Country Cook Dec. 2, 2011

Salad at Very Good Recipes
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