Easy Caprese Crackers

The basil in my garden this year has gone nuts......so, we have been eating a lot of caprese....but when you run our of baguette to have it with I resorted to some crackers.  Crunchy and yummy!

Easy Caprese Crackers
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Tomato
Fresh basil leaves
fresh Motz cheese
crackers (these ones were pretty large and veggie flavored)

Layer the ingredients as seen in the picture and have as a snack or serve as an app!

Grilled Pizza

Jake and I made a pizza on the BBQ last week.  It was so good, we both agreed probably better than when we make it in the oven.

Grilled Pizza
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*1 prepared pizza crust (I get the ones in the bag that "On the Rise" makes.  Make sure you get it room temp before trying to work with it)
*Sauce (red, white or we used a parma rosa sauce)
*Toppings (we used some grilled chicken, thin sliced red onion, tomato, red pepper and basil from our herb garden.)
*Cheese (we used both shredded and fresh motz)

Preheat the grill on med heat.  Roll out the dough using some flour or corn meal to help with sticking and place it on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle a little olive oil on each side of the dough.  Use the cookie sheet to transport the pizza to the grill.  Place the dough directly on the grill.  Grill the first side for about 3-6 min.  Remove from grill and flip.  Place toppings and cheese on already grilled side of pizza.  Place back on grill crust side down now to grill the other side.  Close the lid of the grill so the cheeses melt and grill for another 3-6 min until the crust is not longer "raw" and has grill marks.  Pull of the grill, cut and enjoy!!

**Great with a salad with lettuce, kale, peas, steamed and cooled beats from our garden!!

Summer Citrus Punch

I made this to take to the neighbors house for dinner.  Enjoyed it on the front deck while chatting and looking at the Bridger Montains!

Summer Citrus Punch
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1 frozen container of limeade concentrate
1 can ginge-ale
1 cup orange juice
ice
fresh mint
blueberries

Make the limeade as directed.  Mix in the orange juice and the can of ginger-ale.  Place the punch in a nice glass pitcher.  Finish with ice and a handful of fresh mint and a handful of blueberries.  The mint and berries will float to the top making the punch look fun and summery.  Enjoy!!

Beet Sandwiches

Another stolen recipe.......from my friend Mere.  This is suck a good, filling vegetarian meal that you don't even feel like you didn't have any meat with dinner.  So yummy!!

Ciabatta rolls
fresh motz cheese sliced
fresh beets
balsamic vinegar or a basalmic vinegar sauce (I have one that is a little sweet and a little spicy, purchased at one of those fancy kitchen shops)
olive oil
S&P

Slice the rolls.  Drizzle a little olive oil on.  Scrub the beets with a veggie brush under running water.  Slice the Beats about 1/3 in thick.  Drizzle a cookie sheet with olive oil. Spread the beets out on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with S&P and add another olive oil drizzle.  Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, until semi tender.  About 5 min before the beats are done put the buns in the oven to toast them.  Put some balsamic on the bun, then some motz and some beets.  Eat the sandwich!!

Kelsey's Salmon Tin Foil Dinner

I can not take credit for this recipe idea.  I totally stole it from my friend Kelsey!  It's easy and good and you can put so many variations on it that you feel like it is a different meal every time.  You could make individual ones for each person or I just make one big one and Jake and I share it.

Tin Foil :)
Salmon Filet
Tomato (canned or sliced)
Onion (sliced)
Asparagus
Zucchini and/or yellow squash
(any combo of veggies or ones you just have sitting around will work)
Lemon sliced or lemon juice
Garlic
S&P


Prepared orzo, quinoa or risotto
(I buy the flavored quinoa or risotto so the dinner isn't bland)
When I made it with orzo I mixed in some ricotta cheese and parm to make it tasty)

Lay out the tin foil.  Put a drizzle of olive oil in to keep it from sticking.  Place salmon fillet in first followed by the pasta/quinoa and then everything else.  Bake in the oven at 400 for about 20-30 min depending on size of salmon.  Eat when salmon cooked and flaky.

Baked French Toast

I had some leftover french bread from a dinner party that I didn't know what  to do with.  Decided to make some breakfast!!

1 loaf of french bread (cut into 2in cubes)
6 eggs
1 cup milk
cinnamon
vanilla
orange zest

Fruit (you can use whatever you have, I used some frozen mango, papaya, pineapple.  Could use berries, apples,  rhubarb ect.)

Topping (optional)
1/2 c Flour
1/2 C Brown sugar
butter

Whip the eggs, milk, vanilla and orange zest.  Toss bread in the mixture.  Place in a 9x13 pan.  Slice up the fruit into small pieces and push it down into the french toast.  Refrigerate overnight.

Topping:
Mix four and sugar. Cut in some butter or marg.  Sprinkle on top the morning you are baking.

Bake for 50-55 minutes.  EAT!!  Yum!

Salmon Burgers with Baked Sweet Potato Fries

This is a light healthy meal that is different from the everyday dinner!

For the Burgers:
Salmon filet, skinless
 Dijon mustard
Plain Greek yogurt
1 scallion diced
Parsley
1/2 red pepper
Panko bread crumbs (in the Asian isle at the store)
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Put the salmon in the food processor with a few Tbs of yogurt.  Process until combined.  Remove from processor and stir in other ingredients.  Make into patty's.  When ready to cook place a small amount of olive oil a frying pay, cook burgers for about 2 minutes on each side.

For the Sauce:
Dijon mustard
plain Greek yogurt
mayo
1 scallion diced
Parsley
pepper
lemon juice

Mix all of the ingredients together until you get a medium consistency sauce.

*Place a generous spoonful of the sauce on top of burgers to serve.  Can also serve with asparagus, avocado. spinach or other veggies between the burgers and sauce.

To Make the Fries:
 Sweet potato peeled and cut into french fry shaped pieces
A few Tbs Olive Oil
Pepper
Any other seasoning you want (I have used yellow or red curry, a smoky BBQ seasoning, cajan ect)

Toss the above ingredients in a bowl.  For easy cleanup place foil on a cookie sheet and grease it with a little more olive oil.  Spread fries onto pan.  Bake at 350 for about 20 min until desired softness.

*Also good served with curry ketchup!