Caprese Salad

WOW! It's hot outside! Perfect time for a no-cook, refreshing, yet filling salad! The classic Caprese salad is easy, fresh, full of flavour, and really filling!

This makes enough for 4

Ingredients:

A large heirloom tomato
1 ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella (the one in the liquid!)
salt and pepper
1/2 lemon, rind, and juice
a bunch of fresh basil, julienned
olive oil

Slice your tomato in 8 slices. Slice your mozzarella into 8 slices. Place your tomato slices on a large plate and top each slice with a slice of mozzarella. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the zest of half lemon and then the juice. Top with the basil and then a splash of olive oil. Serve cold.

Just as a side note - you can top this salad with grilled chicken or canned tuna for a satisfying, no cook meal!

Enjoy!

Basil Arugula Pesto Pasta Salad

WOW! The heat is on! I am really enjoying this hot weather! This is what I call summer! And, summer is all about bar be cuing! With pretty much anything I bar be cue, I make a fabulous pasta salad to go along as everyone who knows me knows I am all about pasta! So, try this recipe for pesto pasta salad - it's so good! It also keeps in the fridge for up to four days so you can enjoy it over and over again! Enjoy!

Ingrediets:

1 large bunch fresh basil
1 bunch arugula leaves
1/4 cup or so toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup or so grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove
juice of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil
salt and pepper
1 box of farfalle pasta, cooked and cooled
1/2 red onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 large bell pepper, red, diced
1 small container grape tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, blanched, and chopped to 1" pieces

In a food processor, process the basil leaves, arugula, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, lemon juice and garlic clove. Add enough olive oil to form a loose paste. Put the mixture in the bottom of a large bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and toss together with pesto. Serve at room temperature, or place in the fridge and use up within 4 days:)

I love this salad so very much - I hope you do too!
Cheers to all
P

It seems I have been neglecting my blog! Sorry everyone! We have a very busy teen ager who seems to take up a lot of our time, add that to work, a 95 lb dog, and a house, and it leaves very limited time for anything else. At this time, I vow to make time for my blog! So, here is a recipe to begin with for the summer - easy, easy, easy!!!! Simple ingredients for a simple week day meal! Enjoy!

Grilled Lemon Chicken with lemon mayo

Ingredients:

Chicken

4 Chicken breasts, bone in preferred (if using boneless, reduce the cooking time)
Juice of 2 lemons
Fresh garlic to taste, minced
Half an onion, cubed very small
Fresh Thyme, chopped
salt and pepper

Mayo

1 Cup Mayonnaise (your favourite)
Zest of one lemon
salt and pepper
fresh thyme, chopped

Place the chicken into a baggie with all the ingredients except some fresh thyme for about a half hour (in this case you don't want to marinade too long as the lemon will begin to cook your chicken). Place on your pre-heated bar be cue and grill for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Place all the Mayo ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Serve over the chicken. So good!