Bacon Apple Cider Slaw

I made this coleslaw recipe for my niece's sixth birthday party this weekend. It was delicious! My neighbor told me it was the best coleslaw she ever had. That's because it has BACON in it!!! Everything is better with bacon. It's perfect as a side dish or try it on top of a hot dog!

Bacon Apple Cider Slaw Recipe

Adapted from The Ghetto Foodie

Ingredients:
1 large head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 lb. bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
3 large granny smith apples, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup honey
3 tsp. salt
1/4 cup pulp free orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. fennel seed

Toss cabbage with 1 tsp. salt. Place cabbage in a colander over a large bowl and refrigerate for about 2 hours. Discard the excess liquid remaining in the bowl. In a large bowl, combine green onion, shredded apples, apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, honey, 2 tsp. salt, orange juice, lemon juice, pepper and fennel seed. Whisk together until well combined. Add cabbage and bacon and toss to coat. Refrigerate overnight to allow the favors to blend. Enjoy!

Awesome Artichoke Bread

Artichoke Bread Recipe

Adapted from Crumb

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ciabatta rolls, sliced

Preheat broiler. Place sliced ciabatta rolls on large foil lined baking sheet. In a large skillet, sauté garlic in butter over medium heat for about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients to the skillet and stir until combined. Spoon the mixture evenly over the ciabatta rolls. Broil until the tops are brown and crispy.

Tip: Substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream!

 

Nancy's Spaghetti Casserole

 

Nancy's Spaghetti Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 16 oz. box vermicelli pasta
16 oz. Clamato tomato cocktail
2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, cored and diced (reserve juice from 1 can)
1 1/2 cups onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. garlic salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, brown ground beef until fully cooked and drain excess grease. Add onions and garlic and saute until onions are transparent. Stir in garlic salt and set aside. Add diced tomatoes, Clamato and the reserved tomato juice from 1 can. Toss this mixture with cooked pasta in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 40 minutes uncovered. Enjoy!

Tip: Add some basil and oregano when you add the garlic salt for extra flavor. The pasta will soak up a lot of the juice. Just add more Clamato or leftover tomato juice if the mixture is too dry.

Best Ever Gorgonzola Salad

Manero's in Greenwich, Connecticut was probably my favorite Italian restaurant of all time. It was a small family owned Italian steakhouse with the best food I can remember eating. Everything on the menu was awesome, but my favorite was by far their Gorgonzola salad. Manero's closed several years ago and I've been dying to have another one of their amazing Gorgonzola salads. While I'll never be able to replicate it exactly, I think came pretty close! This salad pairs perfectly with almost any meal. Try it alongside a steak or with a big spaghetti dinner.

Best Ever Gorgonzola Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces
1 large green pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4-5 tomatoes, diced (I used Campari tomatoes)
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Dressing Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

 Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients until well mixed and pour over salad. Toss to coat. Refrigerate any leftover dressing. Enjoy!

Homemade Carrot Cake

I wouldn't consider myself to be a great baker. I love to cook because I don't really have to measure exactly which allows me to get really creative in the kitchen. Of course, this doesn't fly with baking and I've had lots of disasters in the process. I've always played it safe and stuck with boxed cake mix, so this was my first attempt at a homemade cake. I was pleasantly surprised and it was much easier that I expected. If I can do it...then anyone can! This carrot cake was over the top delicious! The icing alone is to die for!!!

Homemade Carrot Cake Recipe

From I Kiss Better Than I Cook

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs

Icing Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
16 oz. confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, add oil and mix on low speed. Add carrots and continue mixing. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Pour into 2 greased round cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow cake to cool. Using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until well combined. Spread icing on cake. Garnish with chopped pecans (I gently pressed them into the sides of the cake).

Italian Orzo Salad

 This colorful orzo salad feeds a crowd and is perfect for a summer party!

 

Italian Orzo Salad

Adapted from Midwest Living: Italian Rice Salad

Italian Orzo Salad Ingredients:
16 oz. orzo, cooked according to package
1 large yellow pepper, chopped
1 large orange pepper, chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 6 oz. jars quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 tbsp. capers, drained
Mixed baby greens
Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing

Garlic Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tbsp. fresh dill (or 2 tsp. dried dill)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh basil, torn into small pieces (or 1/4 tsp. dried basil)
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced (or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside. In a large bowl combine salad ingredients. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve on a bed of mixed baby greens.