I can always tell when there’s a new season approaching when I’m doing my weekly shopping at Target. Right now it’s OUTDOOR BBQ, get your ice buckets, garden lighting, stock up on sunscreen!!! season and it’s one of my favorite times of year. I love the promise of longer days and eating outside by candlelight (albeit citronella!)  I also LOVE seeing what the color trend is for the year and picking out a new table cloth & a few new dishware items for outdoor parties. It’s a ritual I have and it means that soon life will slow down a bit.  People take it a bit easier during summer. Life gets simpler and so does the food.

When it’s time to start eating outside, my brain shifts gears. I think of easy yet satisfying dishes that can be thrown together instantly.  I always gravitate towards dishes that include some type of vegetable and the use of an outdoor grill!

I teamed up with Archer Farms (only found at Target!) to come up with a simple recipe (using one of their products) that will help you kick off the BBQ season. This Asparagus Tomato Basil Couscous uses Archer Farms Roasted Garlic & Olive Couscous. I grilled asparagus, pulled fresh basil from my patio, added toasted pine nuts, tomatoes & fresh mozzarella. This couscous is finished with a hefty squeeze of lemon juice to really wake up the asparagus.  The fact that the couscous already has some simple seasoning helps cut down on the ingredients list. And that’s exactly what we need when we just wanna chill out & relax outside. Am I right?

And we’re off!

Here’s the Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Whole Wheat Couscous I used.

I actually brought my electric tea kettle outside and made this WHOLE dish outdoors. I just covered the couscous with a tea cloth & set it aside for 15 minutes to fluff up in the measuring cup I mixed it in.

Drizzle the asparagus with olive oil. Season with salt & pepper and throw them on the grill!

GRILL TIME!

Once grilled, cut the asparagus into bite sized pieces. You could totally roast asparagus in the oven if you’re without a grill/grill pan. It will be just as good!

Now we get ready to assemble the couscous. Look! I’m doing this all outside!

Put the asparagus in a bowl with the couscous, pine nuts & basil. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil on top.

Next you stir in the tomatoes and gently fold in the fresh mozzarella. You could sub feta in if you want!

Zucchini would be another great vegetable to use.

Squeeze about a half of a lemon into the mix. STIR STIR STIR.

Dinner is SERVED.

Casey took out a nice bottle of wine for the occasion…

Here’s a closeup on the couscous. It’s like a salad & carb side all in one. Summer is all about shortcuts!

Hope you love eating outside as much as I do.

Just watch out for bugs!

Brought to you by Archer Farms only at Target.

Asparagus Tomato Basil Couscous

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

serves 4

• 1 package Archer Farms Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil Couscous
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small pieces
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Cook couscous according to instructions on package. Set aside.

Preheat grill/grill pan to medium-high heat. Drizzle asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt & pepper. Grill 3-4 minutes per side, until charred & slightly tender (you still want a nice bite to it). Transfer asparagus to a cutting board and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss cooked couscous with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir in pine nuts, tomatoes and asparagus. Gently stir in mozzarella, & basil and squeeze lemon juice on top to finish off the dish. Season with salt & pepper and serve cold or at room temperature.

As a kid I was OBSESSED with canned pears.  I could seriously eat my weight and then some in pears. And when the pears were all gone, I’d savor every last bit of the leftover pear syrup.

It’s no surprise that Cooper loves canned pears too. He loves pears in general, and we almost always have at least three lying around. For him, the mushier the pear, the better.  Don’t ever give him a hard pear…You’ve been warned.

This little drink is a perfect way to fancy up sparkling water and if you’re cool with Vodka, well then!  Hello, my friend! We have a fantastic vanilla pear infused sparkling cocktail!  It’s like an adult version of pear syrup and it’s dang elegant with all of those vanilla bean seeds perfuming the drink! This is a good trick to have when you’re entertaining. A very very good trick to have.

And we’re off!

Ingredient gathering!

Peel the pears, chop them up. It’s cool if you leave some skin on, we’re gonna strain it later.

Pears, sugar, lime juice & vanilla beans go into a pot.

Cook until pears get soft.

Take out the vanilla bean and mash the pears. Push them through a fine mesh strainer.

Now you’re left with the most amazing vanilla pear syrup.

Let’s make a cocktail with it! You could always drizzle some on vanilla ice cream… just sayin’

Syrup in a cup of ice. If you want….VODKA. Do vodka!

Add in the sparkling water.

A few lime slices for the sides. Add a few straws.

CHEERS!

Vanilla Pear Sparklers

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

makes 2 drinks

recipe adapted from Homemade Soda Cookbook

• 3 pears, stemmed, peeled , cored, & cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 vanilla bean, split length-wise, seeds scraped & removed
• 2 cups seltzer
• 3 oz. vodka (totally optional)
• ice
• lime slices for garnish

Toss the pear chunks and sugar into a small saucepan. Add the lime juice and scraped vanilla bean. Cover and cook over medium heat until pears are very soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Mash the mixture with a vegetable masher or fork, until smooth. Strain & cool.

Divide ice between two glass. Pour half vanilla pear syrup into each glass. Add 1 1/2 oz. vodka to each glass, finish with a cup of seltzer in each glass. Add a straw to each cup and garnish with a lime slice on each rim.

 

This is my ideal breakfast for Mother’s Day. A tray with a fresh flower, a small bowl of fruit, an Americano (or cappuccino from my husband), and a Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuit with a runny fried egg & bacon tucked in. What’s missing? A card from my son, a card from my husband, maybe a little gift and a quiet morning reading this book in bed. You paying attention, honey?

Mothers love biscuits. I’m a mother so I have a little bit of street cred here. Actually, mothers love any breakfast that they don’t have to cook themselves. They love to be  appreciated  for all the hard work they do and don’t mind if you spend a day putting them on a pedestal. They also are not required to do any cleaning on their day. A handmade coupon for LOADING/EMPTYING THE DISHWASHER is awesome. But please include like 20 of them in your coupon book. I guarantee Mama won’t forget to cash those in. Also, moms love it when you take the initiative and plan a whole day around them. Make note of that. NEVER EVER have them make reservations for their own dinner out to eat. If you do, you’re fired.

These Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits are obsession-worthy. They’re light & fluffy. They’ve puffed high and they pull apart so easily. When you bite into melty cheese & spicy jalapeño, MAMA MIA! (see what I did there)

I suggest making a breakfast sandwich with them. Here I paired one with a perfect fried egg and some crispy bacon. It has all of the flavors you want & need. And if you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, try smearing a little honey butter on top. Mamas deserve extra butter.

Calories are not counted Mother’s Day. It’s a rule us mothers have.

And we’re off!

I had a biscuit fail earlier yesterday before I made these. Totally sad. I lost a lot of butter. Thank god I had extra butter.

So I needed a win! I turned to the Joy The Baker Cookbook. Because she’s my go-to baker.

I also can text her while I’m baking. It’s like having the best life line in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Except with emojis.

Egg gets mixed in with buttermilk.

Flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar & salt go in. Mix it with a fork.

Butter gets cubed! It goes in the flour mixture. Use your hands. Mix the butter into the flour.

You want pea sized chunks and some that resemble oats!

When the butter is fully incorporated mix the cheese & pickled jalapeño. Stir to coat!

Now make a well. Add in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Stir the dough!

Transfer dough to a well floured counter.

Cut your biscuits!

Put the biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush the tops with buttermilk & sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top. Now bake!

Let’s take a moment…WHAT!?!!!!!

I picked this biscuit for my breakfast sandwich because…well…look at that crispy cheese!

I fried up some bacon…

I made a fried egg…  Can you see that piece of melty cheese in there?

And now it gets the Mother’s Day treatment! Before we put a top on it…

And now topped.

Let’s just stare at the screen and forward this to whoever is in charge of our Mother’s Day this year.

Cheddar Jalapeño Biscuits

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

makes 10-12 biscuits

recipe adapted slightly from Joy The Baker Cookbook

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 41⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup cold buttermilk, plus more for topping
• 1 egg
• 3⁄4 cup cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño, diced small
• 3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• Coarse sea salt for topping

Place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parch­ment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Toss together the cheddar cheese, jalapeño, and chives. Set aside.

Add butter to the flour mixture. With your fingers or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour, breaking the small cubes into smaller bits. Once the butter is well incorporated into the flour mixture, the flour will resemble coarse meal. Some chunks will be the size of small pebbles, others will be the size of oat flakes.

Toss the cheese mixture into the flour mixture. Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture and add the but­termilk mixture all at once. Toss together with a fork making sure that all of the flour bits are moistened by the buttermilk. Mixture will be shaggy. Dump the biscuit dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead just to bring it together into a 11⁄2-inch-thick circle.

Cut biscuits into squares or use a 21⁄2-inch circle biscuit cutter to cut rounds. Gather dough scraps, knead lightly, and cut out more biscuits until batter is gone. Place biscuits on prepared baking sheets, brush with buttermilk, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Biscuits are best the day they’re made, but can be wrapped, stored at room temperature, and served the next day as well.

Happy Seis de Mayo!!! Did you eat tacos yesterday? I hoped to but the weather was a little rainy/grey so I made this Mexican Chicken Soup instead. If I was a better food blogger, I would have posted this recipe last week and I would have lead you to some of my favorite Mexican recipes from the past (Shrimp Tacos, Taquitos,  Mexican Popcorn, Stuffed Poblanos,  Goat Cheese Guacamole, Cilantro Limeade, Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas,  Coconut Tres-Leche Cake).  But I didn’t…OOPS.

So here I am the day after Cinco de Mayo showing you an easy Chicken Tostada Salad recipe. If you’re anything like me, you could eat Mexican food all day/everyday. I seriously never get sick of it. Well…maybe when I was in Mexico for a week I might have…

With it staying light outside later (HOORAY) and the ease of this recipe, I’m able to show you something I made after work. This means that if I can do all of this and make a meal for my family, you’ll be able to do this in no time. It’s a wonderful recipe and a perfect way to use any leftover rotisserie chicken you may have. Both me and the husband ate two each. This is totally going into the weekly rotation.

Do we still get to drink margaritas today? Please say yes.

And we’re off!

This is a great recipe if you want to use leftover roasted chicken.

First we make our tostadas. Oil them up. Put them on a baking sheet & bake.

Saute onions in oil. Add garlic and then add the cooked chicken with chili powder & water. Squeeze lime on top.

After the tortillas have browned, add the cheese & put back in the oven to melt.

Mix lettuce with lime juice.

MELTED.

ASSEMBLY LINE.

Let’s get ready to top.

Add all the good stuff on there.

Top with sour cream & hot sauce!

DONE. IN NO TIME!!!!!

Chicken Tostada Salad

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

makes 4

recipe slightly adapted from Everyday Food 

• 4 corn tortillas
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/2 small red onion, diced small
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite-size pieces
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce (6 ounces), shredded
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced small
• Fresh cilantro, for serving
• sour cream, for serving
• hot sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with 2 teaspoons oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 10 minutes. Divide cheese among tortillas and return to oven. Bake until cheese is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add half the red onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/2 cup water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is warmed through and water is almost evaporated, 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon lime juice and remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and divide among tortillas. Top each tortilla with chicken mixture, tomato, avocado, remaining onion, and cilantro. Add a dollop of sour cream to each tostada and finish with hot sauce, if desired.

Coconut Almond Caramel Corn aka How to Woo Your Hair Stylist/Mail Carrier/Preschool Teacher/Boss/Neighbor.  It is to be used when you really want to change someone’s mind about you…like WHOA!! He/She is AWESOME. I’m pretty sure you already are, but giving people delicious Caramel Corn can take your awesome status to a whole new level.

Have you ever tried something that made you speechless? This is the case with this recipe. Crunchy popcorn meets crunchy toasted coconut meets roasted salted almonds meets caramel OMG. Light, buttery, salty toffee-like amazingness.

And to think I was super impressed/dang proud of my Caramel Croutons…these might be my new favorite… I have visions of topping dulce de leche ice cream with crunched up bits of this Coconut Almond Caramel. Excuse me while I dream…BIG.

And we’re off!

Ingredient gathering. Not pictured: Salt. I seem to always forget to put it in ingredient shots.

Please forgive.

First we want to toast our coconut. In the oven it goes at 350F for about 5 minutes.

BOOM.

We have got to pop some popcorn!

Set the popcorn aside. Sprinkle it with salt.

Now we make our caramel base. While that’s boiling…

We gather all the fun stuff together.

Spread the popcorn, almonds & toasted coconut out on the baking sheet.

When the caramel is done…add the baking soda. BOOM.

Pour the caramel on top of the popcorn mixture. STIR.

Keep stirring. Evenly coat it.

Now it’s ready to go into the oven. This makes the popcorn extra crispy!

After a few intervals of baking/stirring we spread it out on waxed paper to cool.

My advice to you is to seal them up once they’re cool!

It’s so incredibly dangerous.

You shouldn’t be left alone with a jar…

Coconut Almond Caramel Corn

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

makes 12 cups

recipe adapted from the The Joy the Baker Cookbook

for the popcorn mixture

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup yellow popcorn kernels
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cup dry-roasted almonds
• 2 cups toasted coconut flakes

for the caramel:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

To make the popcorn mixture:

In a large pan over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add the corn kernels and place a lid, slightly ajar, over the pot. Pop the popcorn until the popping sound subsides. Turn off the heat, carefully pour the hot popcorn into a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt.

In a 9×13 pan, measure 7 heaping cups of popcorn, being sure to avoid any unpopped kernels. Top popcorn with almonds & toasted coconut. Set aside.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200F.

To make the caramel:

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Carefully whisk the mixture as it heats and the sugar melts. Boil the sugar and butter mixture for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Whisk well. Carefully pour the sugar mixture into the 9 x 13 inch pan over the popcorn mixture. Use a large wooden spoon to toss the two together making sure that every bit of the popcorn mixture is coated with caramel. Be careful not to touch mixture with your hands, as it could burn you.

Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, removing the pan to toss every 10 minutes. Once baked, remove from oven. Carefully spoon onto sheets of waxed paper to dry.  Once dry, store in an airtight container. Popcorn will last for up to one week.