Mini Pizza

I know this is pretty basic, but a lot of you have kids and are looking for kid friendly recipes.  After making hamburgers one night we had a lot of leftover buns.  I took each bun and rolled them a bit thinner with a rolling pin for the crust of the pizza.  I used wheat buns to make it a little healthier, along with turkey pepperoni and pineapple.  Use just about a spoonful of sauce, and top with your favorite toppings.  I like to broil them to really melt the cheese and get some good color, but be sure to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get burnt!  Enjoy!

Rigatoni and Corn

I am so happy I came across this recipe!  It is definitely one of my favorites I have made this summer.  It is so fresh and easy.  It is a great recipe to stock up on ingredients at your farmer's market.  I made this on a night when Skirell had plans for dinner because there was no meat involved.  Next time I will definitely serve some grill chicken with the pasta, but it also works great as a side.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 2 ears corn, shucked
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups grape tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
• Torn basil, for topping

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with tongs, reserving the boiling water. Let the corn cool slightly, then cut off the kernels.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in the corn water as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the chicken broth and corn kernels to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Add the pasta to the skillet; add the scallions, Parmesan, the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine, adding the reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with more Parmesan and basil.

Summer Potato Salad

I have been slightly addicted to clipping coupons these days.  My record so far was saving $26 at Target.  Even the cashier complimented me on how much I saved!  I found this recipe next to a coupon for the new Philadelphia Cooking Creme.  I really liked this potato salad because it wasn't made with mayonnaise, and had more flavor than you usually have with a traditional potato salad.  This recipe is made to serve 22, so definitely cut it down unless to  you are going a large gathering.  Hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients

3 lbs baby red potatoes, quartered

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian dressing

1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Reduced Fat Italian Cheese & Herb Cooking Creme

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 stalks celery, sliced

1/4 cup Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions 

Place potatoes in a 2-qt. microwavable dish.  Add water; cover with lid.  Microwave on high 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Place in a large bowl.  Add dressing; toss to coat.  Refrigerate 1 hour, or until completely cooled.  Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Thank goodness for Pinterest!  I know most of you are on it, but I figured I would still post the recipe for you.  It is a nice way to serve mixed fruit, rather than just doing a fruit salad on it's own with no additional flavors.  The citrus mixed with sweet honey is so good!  This is definitely a good one to bring to a barbecue with friends and family!

Ingredients

1 pint strawberries

1 pint blueberries

1 bunch grapes (red, green, or both)

1/4 cup honey

Juice from 2 limes (about 2-3 tablespoons)

Directions 

Rinse strawberries, blueberries, and grapes.  Gently pat dry the fruit. Hull strawberries and cut each in half; cut into quarters if large.  Remove stems from blueberries, if any.  Remove grapes from stems.  Gently combine strawberries, blueberries, and grapes in a large bowl and set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice.  Pour over fruit and mix.  Refrigerate until served.

Broccoli Salad

I receive the daily emails from Real Simple and Food Network featuring a recipe of the day.  I save a lot of them, but haven't tried most until this one.  It was going to be perfect for a barbecue we were going to on Saturday night to celebrate the 4th of July with food and fireworks.  It is a Paula Deen recipe, which surprisingly doesn't include butter :)  I loved that the dressing was light.  I don't like it when too much mayonnaise is used, and that is all you can taste.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 head broccoli

6-8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup raisins, optional

8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks

1 cup mayonnaise (I used low-fat)

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem.  Remove the tough stalk at the end, and wash broccoli head thoroughly.  Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite size pieces.  Place in a large bowl.  Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese.  In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well.  Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.