Our Top Three...

Favorite eats from the last few days! Hope they inspire. They were delicious!

Edamame Salad

Oh, it was sooo good. We ALL liked it! (Even MW who is becoming increasingly picky.)

To make, you'll need:

• shelled edamame
• cherry tomatoes
• purple onion
• parmesan cheese
• salt & pepper

boil the edamame, slice the cherry tomatoes, dice about a quarter to half the purple onion (depending on your taste - I'm not a raw onion kinda girl, and I started with a quarter and after tasting it, added the other quarter), grate/chop parmesan cheese (I did a small handful), and salt and pepper to taste, stir together and wha-la...a beautiful, tasty, healthy, yummy salad!

* disclaimer: I read about a salad similar to this one recently, but couldn't put my hands on it, which inspired the making of this one. The one I'd read about used olive oil and vinegar, feta cheese, and I don't think there was a purple onion...any ideas where I might have seen that recipe? I'd kind of like to try it.

Next Up...

Grilled Pizza

Inspired by the Italians! (and our trip to Italy) and a Crisco ad...

You'll need:

• pizza dough or a pre-made crust
• olive oil
• garlic
• cheese
• veggies (we copied the Italians and had fresh: zucchini, purple onions, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, green beans {really - I had green beans on my pizza while in Italy!}, cucumbers...and whatever else I had sitting in my veggie drawer)

I'm not entirely sure of quantities here...I just mixed some olive oil with several spoonfuls of minced garlic (from the giant tub of minced garlic from Sams)... baste your dough/crust with it and place on grill on low heat (I sprayed our grill with Pam first)...cook a minute or so on each side (I used dough and gave it about two minutes), remove from grill, top with cheese and veggies, put back on grill until cheese melts/veggies are tender...um, I totally burned the bottom of the crust. We don't have a super duper nice grill... it died and T said he was finished buying $$ grills, so we got a lower end model (that also happened to fall OUT of his truck and onto the highway when he was bringing it home. Aside from the dents, some mega scratches, and the taped together handle, you'd never know.) ....and well, there isn't much of a difference in High, Medium, or Low...sooo....on low and even with foil, I still burned it, and it was still delicious!!!

Next Up...

Oh wait...wrong picture.

Oh, here we go.

Finally:

Rosemary Chicken Soup!!!

This soup is the best ever!!! (well, next to Mom's chicken soup.) A precious friend brought us some of this when I had a throw up bug. I hoarded the entire container. T never even got a bite. It was so soothing and delicious! She didn't have a "recipe" for it. She'd merely thrown together a little of this and a little of that based on what was available in her fridge. I, however, purchased the ingredients explicitly for this soup because it is that good. This is a variation of hers. It. Is. DELICIOUS!!!!! You MUST try it!

You'll need:

• one whole chicken
• frozen peas (I used half the Walmart "Great Value" size bag)
• 2 onions, quartered
• minced garlic (several spoonfuls)
• rosemary (5 sprigs, more if desired)
• black pepper, & lots of it
• pastina (pasta stars...you can get them at Walmart in the pasta section)
• all purpose seasoning (I used Natures Seasons Seasoning Blend)

Place chicken, along with onions, a few spoonfuls of minced garlic, and a few sprigs of rosemary in a stock pot. Top with water . Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is done. Remove chicken and place in separate dish, strain broth and return to pan over medium heat (I keep it at a low boil). "Pick the chicken." (pick off all the meat, dropping it into broth, chunk the carcass)

{Scout ALWAYS hangs out with me when I pick a chicken...so does little man.}

and season with pepper, more garlic, and seasoning salt,...eight minutes prior to serving, add pastina (I used half a box), peas, and more Rosemary (this time, picked off the stem). Continue cooking over medium heat (low boil) for 6-8 minutes, or until pasta is done and peas are cooked. Serve and ENJOY!

When my kids eat this soup, they insist it makes them "twinkle" (because of the star pasta), and constantly ask, "can you see the twinkle in my nose? Can you see the twinkle in my eyes?", etc.

You. Have. GOT. To. Try. This. Soup. It is good.

Hope you enjoy!