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Summer Lemon Chicken & Asparagus
Asparagus is a vegetable that is easily misunderstood. Just like Brussels sprouts and artichokes, there is a specific way to prepare asparagus. It isn’t like green beans, peas, or corn where you can boil or steam then serve. While some people do love asparagus from a can, I will only eat it if it is roasted or grilled. Additionally, preparing asparagus is important. The thicker the asparagus stock, the more fibrous. It is difficult to figure out what part to trim and what to eat. The way I prepare asparagus is I hold each end of the stock. Then I bend it until it snaps. The stock naturally snaps in…
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Fresh Balsamic Summer Salad
Sometimes preparing dinner is just plain too much, especially during the hot summer months. Who wants to spend time in front of a stove or heat their thoroughly a/c’ed kitchen with their oven? I most definitely don’t. I am always on the hunt for a delicious dinner that doesn’t require a ton of prep or for me to stand in a stifling kitchen while the temperature outside soars to unbearable numbers. This fresh balsamic summer salad is the ticket! It can easily be eaten alone, or paired with some grilled chicken or steak. I also like to eat the leftovers with rotisserie chicken for lunch. The best part about this…
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Summer Corn Fettuccini
Here in Las Vegas, we are approaching our triple digit weather season; and when it is that hot, I try to create fresh, easy, and quick recipes that don’t require the oven. This particular recipe is definitely one of them. With the fresh vegetables and herbs mixed into the pasta, this version of fettuccini is perfect for summertime. Additionally, it can easily be a side dish, or add in some grilled chicken and it becomes the main course. I like to make this when corn is in season and slightly char the corn kernels, but it is still extremely tasty with steamed corn. If you have never heard of mascarpone…
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Lemon Strawberry Trifle
Contains affiliate links There are some flavors that are just meant for each other, lemon and strawberry are one such combination…especially during the hot months of the year. A tall glass of iced strawberry lemonade, mmmmmmmmmmm! I had decided that I needed to do something special for dessert on the 4th of July. When I saw the beautiful strawberries at the grocery store, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. Side note, if you want to make this dessert and have it look more patriotic, add in blueberries along with the strawberries. When it comes to a trifle, one major characteristic is the layering of the ingredients.…
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Creamy Sage Chicken
Contains affiliate links I absolutely love fresh herbs. I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate fresh herbs into recipes. I’m so obsessed with fresh herbs that I’m currently trying to convince Matthew to buy me an indoor hydroponic herb garden machine thingy. I’ve always had a dream of having a full, vibrant garden with a decent portion of it full of herbs. The best thing about fresh herbs is they add major flavor and dimension to food without adding extra fat, sugar, carbohydrates, or anything else not necessarily good for our bodies. Sage is an herb that pairs well with summer time foods, particularly chicken, pork, and salmon. Most…
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Summer Chicken Salad
I’m back with yet another salad favorite of mine. If you already don’t know, I live in Las Vegas, NV. Here in Vegas, the month of July goes one of two ways. The first is the rare early monsoon season where it dumps rain at random times, is super humid and occasionally hot. The second is the excruciating triple digit temperatures nonstop. This week it is suppose to get above 110°F for a majority of the week. So when it is SO hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk, I loath turning on the stove or oven. Creating meals that require little to no cooking is my main…
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Best Potato Salad Ever
I LOVE potato salad! It is possibly my most favorite summer side dish. BUT…there are certain flavors that DO NOT belong in a potato salad. Raw onion flavor, tomatoes, sour cream…big fat NOPE. Potato salad has potatoes, eggs, pickles, and maybe a few extras. I knew when I began dating Matthew and tasted his mother’s potato salad, that I would have to marry him so I could have her potato salad til the day I died. Her potato salad is seriously the best. It is simple but full of flavor. I committed a cardinal sin and tweaked her recipe. Don’t get me wrong, her original recipe is still the best,…
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Summer Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine Alfredo is definitely a family favorite. It is also a very easy recipe to change up. Adding in season vegetables can completely change the flavor and cause your children to think you are a genius in the kitchen. In the summer, I like to add in fresh vegetables such as bell peppers and corn. Fresh baby spinach is equally tasty. Fettuccine Alfredo is also a recipe that is hearty enough to hold up against adding a protein; while at the same time flavorful enough to not need a protein. In the summer, if I add a protein, it is usually chicken. I’ve added grilled steak slices over top as…
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Potluck: Chicken and Dumpling Casserole
I LOVE soup…but…BUT, I cannot consume soup or anything resembling soups when the weather outside is above 75°F. There is just something wrong with my body being hot on the outside and then eating something that causes me to feel hot on the inside. Eating soup is like eating a warm, cozy hug. AND…because I currently reside in Las Vegas, I’ve had to get a little creative in my soup consumption. Thus, the casserole carousel rotation began. Chicken noodle casserole, loaded baked potato casserole, clam chowder casserole…the list is almost endless. Recently though, I was desperately craving chicken and dumplings. I knew I had to figure out how to recreate…
