The tomatoes are in season and what a better way to use them than in a salad. We eat a lot of salads at our house, they are healthy, fast and make an inexpensive meal. In fact we start nearly every dinner with a salad, so my kids know no difference. People are often shocked kids will eat salads. But they will. In fact letting kids help make salads and dressings is a great way to get them involved in the kitchen and they’ll probably at least taste what they helped make.

A bacon, tomato, and lettuce salad is great for a lunch or a light dinner. And since we aren’t eating a lot of sandwiches these days, it’s a fun way to get the flavors of a BLT without actually eating a sandwich.

Although the idea of a BLT salad isn’t really that innovative, I got the idea from my Stonewall Kitchen Favorites cookbook. It is one of the cookbooks from the gourmet food company, Stonewall Kitchen. Their cookbooks are beautifully designed, with gorgeous photographs, clear font and feature updated versions of classic recipes.

The dressing is very simple and flavorful. It has a mild dijon flavor. The scallions and parsley might be too flavorful for some kids, but mine don’t mind at all. I think it really compliments the flavors of the salad, but it is a rather versatile dressing and could be used on a typical garden-style salad.

Everything is better with bacon, even a salad!

BLT Salad

• 1 pound bacon (I have to admit, I use about half this amount), cooked and crumbled
• 1 large head Romaine Lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
• about 2 cups of chopped tomatoes, I use cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size

1. In a large bowl, place lettuce. Top with tomatoes and bacon. Toss with the dressing just before serving.

Dijon Vinaigrette

If you are going to let a child help make the dressing, it works really well to give them a small jar with a lid so they can simply shake the ingredients. It is fun and not as messy as letting them whisk oil

• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 TB chopped fresh parsley
• 2 scallions (white and green parts) thinly sliced
• 2 1/2 TB red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

1. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, salt and pepper, parsley and scallions. Add the vinegar and then the oil, whisking until smooth. This can be made a day or so before serving, just stir to combine before using.

Salads, Sauces & Dressings

Ever since going gluten free I have had to read labels, lots of label. Well, reading labels has made aware of how much junk is in salad dressing, so I am trying to make it from scratch more often.

As much as a like the idea of making my own salad dressings, in reality it hasn’t worked out so well. It’s hard enough to get dinner and a salad on the table at a reasonable time most weeknights, let alone whipping together a nice salad dressing the entire family will eat.

So, I am sure you can imagine my excitement when I recently came across a recipe for an Italian Salad dressing mix recipe on allrecipes.com, you just mix together the spices and store in an air tight container. When you need some Italian dressing you take out a couple tablespoons and mix it with some vinegar and oil. Sounded easy enough, so I gave it a try.

Of course, like most recipes I try, I made some modifications, particularly omitting 2 tablespoons of salt; seriously, it is plenty salty from the garlic salt and celery salt. I was quite pleased with the results and plan on keeping this dressing mix on hand. Not only is it great for a green salad or pasta salad, but I think it would make a nice rub or marinade for meat. And it would be a nice addition to a gift basket.

And one of the benefits of making food from scratch, you can seriously adjust the recipe to suit your dietary restrictions or tastes. Although it tastes great as is, I think red pepper flakes or canned Parmesan would be great additions.

Italian Drssing on a pasta salad.

Italian Dressing Mix

• 1/2 TB garlic powder
• 1/2 TB garlic salt
• 1 TB onion powder
• 1 TB sugar
• 2 TB dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground black pepper (you might want to reduce this if you use a spicy, freshly ground pepper. I use about 1/2 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1TB dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp celery salt

1. In a small jar or bowl, mix together all ingredients and store tightly sealed.
2. To prepare dressing, whisk together 2 TB of the dry mix with 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup oil (you could use up to 2/3 cups oil, but I don’t care for really oily dressing). Shake or stir to combine. * I think almost any vinegar could be used here and canola or vegetable oil in place of the olive oil if desired.

Make ahead, Sauces & Dressings, quick and easy homemade dressing mix

Strawberry season is in full swing here so I have been making quite a few strawberry goodies. Shortcakes, freezer jam, but perhaps the easiest of all, strawberry syrup.

I like to make the syrup really simple and uncomplicated, without too much sugar. I think the flavor of the berries should really be the main focus. We have really sweet berries here, but if your berries are tart, you might want to add extra sugar.

We think strawberry syrup is perfect on pancakes, waffles, ice cream (especially homemade sour cream ice cream) and chocolate desserts. But I also think it could be stirred into fresh lemonade.

Strawberry Syrup with ice cream.

Strawberry Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups crushed strawberries
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in about 1 tablespoon water

1. Place water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved; stirring constantly. Add berries, lemon juice and cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly. Reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

Breakfast, Desserts, Sauces & Dressings Stawberry Syrup

You have probably heard of fruit salsa, it is fairly common and typically served with fish and poultry. However, have you tried watermelon salsa?

First of all, I realize this may sound odd. Okay, so it probably sounds disgusting. But it is “surprisingly good,” according to my most cynical food critic, my husband.

It is refreshing and has a great texture. It’s a little sweet, but still savory and goes great with grilled chicken or pork. You could also just serve it with tortilla chips.

It might sound odd, but if you like fresh salsa, you should give it a try. It’s quick, easy, and really healthy. And most importantly really good.

My family was more than skeptical the first time I mentioned watermelon salsa. But once everyone took a bite, we were hooked.

I know making salsa at home might sound like too much work if you have never made it; but it really is simple and it’s hard to beat the flavor and texture of a fresh salsa. Not to mention, you can customize it, especially the peppers, to suit your family’s tastes.

This is my version of Watermelon Salsa. Enjoy!

Watermelon salsa with grilled chicken.

Watermelon Salsa

We like the texture and color of cucumbers, but it is equally good without them. If you omit the cucumbers, increase the watermelon to 3 cups.

• 2 cups finely diced seedless watermelon
• 1 cup finely diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, minced (I remove the seeds)
• the juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

1. Place all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and stir to combine. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Sauces & Dressings fruit salsa

If you have read my blog a few times you already know I like to make most things from scratch, so it’s probably no surprise that I make my own pasta sauces.

Overall, I think making your own food from scratch is healthier; who needs all that high fructose corn syrup and salt anyway?

I have several different tomato sauces I like to make, but this one is my basic, go-to recipe for a quick dinner.

It is pretty simple, you could always add fresh herbs, mushrooms or browned ground beef or sausage to make it a bit more special.

It’s not quite as easy as opening a jar of pasta sauce, but it really does come together quickly and I think it tastes so much better.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that different brands of tomato products really taste differently. Some are very sweet and others are salty or metallic. It’s probably best to find a brand you really like and just stock up when it is on sale.

Personally, I buy mine at Costco. The large cans give you over 6lbs of tomatoes, sauce or paste for around $3; I store it in small freezer containers and just defrost as needed.

Quick pasta sauce with ground beef

Quick Pasta Sauce

• 1 Tb olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp each, basil, parsley, oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and cook onion and pepper until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, allowing flavors to blend, about 10 minutes.

Sauces & Dressings homemade pasta sauce

A good pizza sauce really adds that extra touch to a pizza. So if you are going to the trouble of making pizza at home, why not make the sauce too?

I have made many different versions of pizza sauce, however my family prefers the uncomplicated recipes.

Homemade pizza is somewhat of an undertaking, so spending a lot of time on the sauce in unrealistic in my opinion. I need something that is quick to put together and tastes great.

So, after a lot of experimenting I finally found a truly easy pizza sauce with no cooking required. You just combine all the ingredients and stir; it can’t get much easier than that.

I find this recipe makes enough sauce for 2-3 pizzas, but it will depend on how much sauce you like on your pizza. Since I typically bake only one pizza at a time I freeze the leftover sauce to use another time.

This is pretty basic sauce that you could adjust to your family’s taste. It’s also great with bread sticks.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir. Voila, pizza sauce!

A partially baked crust topped with Easy Pizza Sauce.

Easy Pizza Sauce

I don’t add pepper flakes, but that would be a great addition. If you don’t want to add fresh garlic you could always substitute 1-2 tsp of dried garlic or garlic powder.

• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

1. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and stir until smooth.

Sauces & Dressings easy pizza sauce, homemade pizza sauce

It’s five o’clock and someone asks me, “What’s for dinner?” I have no idea. Sound familiar?

Chaotic, rushed, and often unplanned….oh, the weeknight dinner.

Even though I do enjoy cooking, I am a horrible planner when it comes to dinner. I have tried to create menu plans, but seriously, I can never follow them.

Just like everyone else, I need relatively quick and easy dinners.

I have always tried to keep certain cuts of meat in the freezer for impromptu meals. My new favorite is flank steak. It is quick to defrost and cooks in literally minutes.

My family enjoys the combination of a tossed green salad, some quickly marinated flank steak, and homemade ginger-lime dressing. You  have a simple and healthy weeknight dinner with very little effort or time.

Your family might even think you planned it

This is my adaptation of the Thai Beef Salad from the latest Everyday Food issue. I thought the herbs in the original recipe were a bit overpowering, well, my kids thought the herbs in the original version were WAY too overpowering, so I simply omit them now.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Everyday Food you might want to take a look. These little magazines are crammed full of practical recipes for things your family will actually want to eat. And most of the recipes call for items found in a well-stocked pantry or fridge.

Just as the title suggests, the theme is really Everyday Food, nothing overly fancy or gourmet here. So if your family is getting tired of eating the same meals over and over you might want to grab the current issue at the checkout stand. Overall, I find that I can adapt most of it to be gluten free with little effort.

Thai Beef Salad

Thai Beef Salad

Although I find this dressing super easy to prepare, you could just use a bottled Asian-style one if you prefer.

Steak:

• 2 Tb soy sauce (San-J makes a gluten free one)
• 2 Tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 12 oz flank steak
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil

1. Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a glass 9×13 baking dish. Add steak, turning to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate several hours.
2. While the steak is marinating I prepare the salad and dressing.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet, I use cast-iron, over medium high heat. Add steak, reserving marinade, and cook until dark brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side for medium-rare; make sure to wait until the meat has had time to brown well before trying to flip it or it will tear.
4. Add reserved marinade to skillet and turn steak once to coat. The marinade will get very thick and much of it will evaporate.
5. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain.
6. Add steak and dressing to prepared salad and serve immediately.

Salad:

• 1 head lettuce, washed and torn into pieces
• 1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and deiced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 carrots, peeled and shaved with a vegetable peeler

1. In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients.

Ginger-Lime Dressing:

• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tb peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 a jalapeno, minced, optional
• 2 Tb fresh lime juice

1. In a small bowl stir together all dressing ingredients.

Main Dishes, Salads, Sauces & Dressings flank steak, thai beef salad

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

My family LOVES Mexican food and all dishes Tex-Mex or Mexican inspired. We love the exciting flavors, vibrant colors, and combination of textures; it’s like a party on your plate every time you eat!

And lucky for us, Mexican food is typically gluten free!!!!!

There are so many delicious and fun dishes to prepare today, I had trouble deciding.

Personally, I love guacamole, but not that runny, flavorless stuff you can buy in the refrigerator case.

Buy some fresh, ripe avocados and whip up a homemade version that will really wow you!

Great on chips, or served with tacos, burritos and tortillas, it’s a dip you should know how to prepare.

It is my understanding that there is no one authentic recipe for guacamole; it has many variations, but basically it is mashed, but still chunky avocados, often with onion, Serrano chiles, cilantro, salt and lemon or lime juice and maybe some garlic.

One thing is for sure, it isn’t made in a food processor. The molcajete and the tejolote are the Mexican mortar and pestle and traditionally what guacamole is made in. They are available in many Mexican markets and some finer kitchen stores. They can be used to crush garlic, herbs, chiles and spices, among other things.

As much as I love cooking Mexican foods, I have never bought a molcajete, although I am sure it would improve the textures of my dishes.

When making guacamole in particular, I am mindful to not completely puree it, it should be creamy, but still have chunks. I read a tip to dice half of the avocados in any given guacamole recipe and mash the other half with the back of a fork; this provides a nice texture.

Here is one version of guacamole that I enjoy, but there are so many variations you’ll probably want to make a few adjustments to suit your tastes.

Grab some chips and enjoy!

Chunky Guacamole

Make sure you choose ripe avocados, they should yield to gentle pressure, but still be firm. Ones that feel soft will most likely be over ripe and brown inside.

If you make your dip too spicy, you can always add some more avocado.

• 2 avocados, slightly ripe, but not mushy
• 1 medium tomato seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup minced, fresh cilantro leaves
• juice of half a lime
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2-1 fresh jalapeno or Serrano finely chopped or a few dashes hot sauce, optional
• 1 clove garlic, crushed, optional

1. Place one of the avocados in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Dice the reserved avocado and add to the bowl along with all remaining ingredients.
2. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper, or hot sauce as needed.
3. Guacamole doesn’t store well, it is best served very soon after preparing.

Sauces & Dressings, Sides, Snacks chunky guacamole

Flavored butters, also known as compound butter, are a cook’s dream. They are super easy to make and freeze extremely well; making them one of the rare items you can actually pull out of the freezer at a moment’s notice to create something worthy of company.

Butters, or butter alternatives, can be flavored sweet or savory. And really you are only limited by your imagination.

For sweet concoctions I like to stir in cinnamon, fruit preserves, or honey; these make wonderful spreads on warm rolls, french toast, or scones.

For dinner, a dollop of a savory butter mixed in with roasted vegetables or a pat placed on a grilled steak or a chicken breast will turn a boring dish into something extraordinary. The flavors you mixed into the butter will be released as it melts on the hot food. Seriously, this is good eating.

You’ll want to start with softened butter and just mix in your additions until thoroughly incorporated into the butter; you might find a food processor handy here, but clean up can be a bit messy so I prefer to use a fork.

To store, place the flavored butter on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up into a log. Place plastic-wrapped logs in a freezer bags and freeze until needed. The butter can be frozen for several weeks, with small sections being cut off the log as needed.

Explore your pantry and fridge and I am sure you’ll come up some winning combinations. Honey, preserves, citrus, zest, shallots, ginger, herbs and spices all pack lots of flavor and compliment the butter well. Here are a few of my favorite flavored butters, but don’t limit yourself to my suggestions.

Honey Butter on a pancake.

Lemon-Herb Butter Great on grilled meat and fish, any herb can be used here in place of parsley.

• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup), softened
• 1 Tb finely chopped fresh parsley or other herb such as cilantro, thyme, or basil
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mash with the back of a fork. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Place flavored butter in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log; refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. For longer storage store in the freezer.

Bearnaise Butter Fabulous on a grilled steak and so much easier than making Bearnaise sauce.

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 Tb finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 Tb finely chopped shallots
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mash with the back of a fork. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Place flavored butter in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log; refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. For longer storage store in the freezer.

Honey Butter This is so good on fresh bread, cornbread, a muffin, or french toast. If you want a more intense honey flavor you can add up to a 1:1 ratio of honey to butter.

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 Tb honey
• pinch cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mash with the back of a fork. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Place flavored butter in a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a log; refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. For longer storage store in the freezer.

Make ahead, Sauces & Dressings compound butters, flavored butters

Yogurt cheese is simply yogurt that has been strained and is thick. Nowadays this is often referred to as Greek Yogurt, but from what I can gather, it is really not Greek nor a unique type of yogurt.

You can make yogurt cheese at home with store bought, or better yet, homemade yogurt. It is simple and requires  little attention. The consistency can vary, from that of a mayonnaise/sour cream texture, to that of cream cheese, depending on how long it is allowed to strain; and makes a great substitute for these dairy products.

I came across a Cuisipro Donvier Yogurt Cheese Maker designed specifically for making yogurt cheese on clearance and had to buy it; however cheesecloth or clean dish towel placed in a colander over a bowl will work too, no special equipment required! I have read that a dish towel works better than cheesecloth, so that is what I included in the directions.

Yogurt cheese can be used plain or flavored sweet or savory. With the consistency being variable, and the the additions nearly endless, yogurt cheese is certain to have many uses from baked goods to spreads and dips.

*I have had a few questions about what types of yogurt can be used. I have only used low-fat plain yogurt, but according to Dannon, the yogurt company, any yogurt not containing gelatin will work (the gelatin will prevent the water from separating). Dannon suggests you use low-fat or non-fat, plain, vanilla, coffee or lemon flavors. You can flavor it with anything you want after the yogurt cheese is made.

Yogurt Cheese after draining overnight in the fridge.

Yogurt Cheese

The yogurt will be reduced about in half during this process, so you can really begin with any amount that you desire. Store the yogurt cheese in a covered container for up to one week in the refrigerator. Use as mayonnaise or sour cream substitute or if thickened overnight, it can be used as cream cheese for cheesecakes and such.

• 3 cups plain yogurt

1. Place yogurt in a colander lined with a clean dish towel (the flour sack type). Twist the towel to gently squeeze out some of the liquid and set the colander over a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The longer the yogurt strains, the thicker it will get.
2. To speed up this process slightly, you can twist the towel periodically.

Sauces & Dressings, Sides making yogurt cheese