Garlic Grilled Zucchini or Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner & Sporty Barbie Shirt

Sometimes we try too hard folks, yep, it's true. Most of the time the best things, are honestly the easiest things. This Garlic Grilled Zucchini is a very good example. Simply cut thick chunks of zucchini and onion (maybe some peppers if you have them), give a very liberal dose of Italian salad dressing, and add a clove (or three-you know your crowd) of garlic that has been put through a garlic press. Very flavorful and a big hit at Sunday dinner:@)

📌My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

Or how about making it an easy Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner by adding some quick cooking boneless chicken breast. A perfect dog days of summer meal that cooks up in no time:@)

And even though it's still July...

🏈Football training camp has started!

Lovin' this sporty Barbie shirt at Walmart.

How am I spinning this towards the Eagles??? 

I’d call this Kelly green:@)

Garlic Grilled Zucchini

Zucchini, thick chunks

Onion, thick chunks

Italian salad dressing

Garlic clove, pressed

1. Add everything to zip top bag, marinate for at least one hour.
2. Cook over medium hot grill for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle with S&P once off grill.

Stay cool and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Summer Garden Side Dish & Raised Bed Garden Update

This Summer Garden Side Dish/Salad is another super simple way to use up some of the veggies the garden gifts us. Just mix and match whatever is in season, whether plentiful, or you just have a few... I had some green beans, a cucumber, a few cherry tomatoes, chives, and fresh parsley. Dice and mix with your desired amount of Italian salad dressing. I have to say, this was amazing with a grilled chicken breast for dinner:@) 

Pics from July 1st: Two pots of green beans in the background, one heavily producing and coming to the end, and I just planted seeds in the second pot. The little Dollar Tree bird bath has been very popular this year:@) Mostly wasps and brown finches so far, but I'm glad I picked it up. 

By the time July gets here the garden has gotten pretty large and overgrown... The tomatoes have reached the top of the stakes and now I'm beginning to pinch them back and cut branches to allow sunlight and airflow. Cucumbers are doing ok and I have made a batch of my favorite Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles. If you only try one pickle recipe from Pig In Mud folks, this is the one I recommend:@) You can use the brine for Jalapeno Pickles too...

Planter has a small yellow squash plant I rescued from the garden center, I'm hoping it catches up soon. Pepper plants didn't get very tall (yet), but they are happy... 

Mini sweet multi colored peppers:

And my jalapenos:@)

Zinnias add more color every day:

And I'll leave you with the long view:

Summer Garden Side Salad

1. Whatever garden vegetables and herbs you have on-hand, diced bite size. If using string beans, toss into boiling water for about 2 minutes. Immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking process, dry and add to the rest of the veggies.
2. Mix with liberal amount of your favorite Italian Salad Dressing.
3. A few grinds of fresh black pepper would be nice...
4. Chill and serve.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Pepperoni & Cheese with Olives & Italian Dressing-Appetizer

As time goes on, more and more I find myself appreciating ~easy~ ideas, whether for a football game, a family gathering, or the holidays. I love things that come together quickly, while still providing a big burst of flavor. And this Pepperoni and Cheese with Olives and Italian Salad Dressing does just that. It's also easy to make a party size batch, or a snack for one or two people. Simply cut what you need and toss with salad dressing... Done:@) A final touch could be garnishing with chives or parsley, totally optional, I happen to still have chives in the garden. 

Now, I will say,

this is not a low sodium snack...

Just a yummy one:@)

Pepperoni and Cheese with Olives and Italian Dressing

As much as you'd like:

Pepperoni, bite size cubed

Cheese of choice, bite size cubed-I used cheddar

Olives of choice

Pepperoncini if desired, press the brine out first

Italian Dressing, your favorite-I used inexpensive Kraft

1. Add first four items to bowl, add enough dressing to coat well, stir.
2. Garnish with fresh herb of choice if desired.
3. Serve with fun food picks.

🏈Enjoy a snack and have a happy day:@)

Stuffed Hot Cherry Pepper Ham & Cheese Appetizer & Barbie No-Sew Swing Top

Ok folks, this one is truly for hot pepper lovers only... Ma says my G-Pop-D would pick cherry peppers right from the plant and pop them into his mouth like M&M's:@) While I can't quite do that, I did clean these little beauties very well (a melon baller works great), and made some very tasty Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers with Ham & Cheese. This is a fantastic appy, and a very substantial snack. Oh and, can you feel it??? Football season is right around the corner, this would be a great football munchie... I considered it a light lunch, and have to say, I may be planting cherry peppers every year going forward!

Use your favorite Italian Salad Dressing...

Oh Momma!

And we made Barbie a super simple Swing Top with Ribbon Tie. This is a no-sew project that can be made using any cotton fabric, and I've provided a free pattern. The Phillies are a little hot right now and we're looking forward to play-off baseball:@)

✂What I did:

1. Cut one from pattern using cotton fabric or fat quarter, can be found at Dollar Tree, Walmart and many stores. (My logo fabric is old and from my stash.)
2. Fold sides over 1/4", crease with fingernail. Glue down, I used Aleene's Tacky Glue.
3. Fold bottom over 1/4", crease with fingernail and glue down.
4. Center 18" of 1/4" wide ribbon over top of fabric and glue on.
5. Embellish as desired with bling, glitter, etc.
6. Dress doll and make another one in a different color!

The pattern:

The top:

Easy-peasy:@)

Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers with Ham & Cheese

As many as you'd like:

1. Cut top off of pepper, scoop out seeds and membranes.
2. Wrap ham around a cube of cheddar cheese. Stuff into pepper.
3. Pour Italian dressing over ham/cheese.
4. Serve with food picks.

Have a Happy Day:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

This Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille is another one of my quick, meals don't need to be complicated, suggestions folks:@) And the best part, it uses all of our summer veggies. The zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomato, and basil are out of my garden! I'd say from prep to plate this takes about 30-40 minutes. Italian dressing adds a lot of flavor, and this will be a substantial meal. And if you have it, a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar right before serving will take it right over the top! If you'd like to add a starch, I think rice would be perfect. Don't hesitate to fire up the grill for this easy meal folks, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I planted Little Fingers Eggplant this year, the write-up:  

68 days from transplant. This is the best open pollinated oriental eggplant available. Little Fingers eggplant seeds produce long and thin eggplants with glossy dark purple skin. You will see heavy yields of nearly straight fruits that are 4 - 5” long by 1 - 2” wide, set in clusters of 3 - 6. The creamy white interior offers a smooth taste and few seeds. Tender, thin skins do not require peeling or salting before cooking. Grill whole.

It is a hearty little plant:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

As much as you'd like:

Boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Onion, large chunked

Bell peppers, chunked

Zucchini, chunked

Little Fingers Eggplant, 1/2" sliced

Italian Dressing

Tomatoes, large chunk

Fresh Basil, chiffonade

Good balsamic vinegar-optional

1. Heat grill to high, add grill pan while heating.
2. Add chicken, onion, peppers, zucchini and eggplant to large bowl or (even better) zip top bag.
3. Drizzle with enough Italian dressing to cover everything.
4. Toss into grill pan, reduce heat to medium/high.
5. Let sit for a couple minutes, stir. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. During the last 5 minutes or so, toss tomatoes into the grill pan too.
6. Add to platter, drizzle with more salad dressing, sprinkle with basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grilled Zucchini with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese

This Grilled Zucchini (and/or Summer Squash) with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese is the perfect side dish while grilling out. It only calls for three ingredients, and they are pretty much pantry ingredients for most of us. I mentioned previously that at the beginning of grilling season I like to buy a new bottle of inexpensive Italian salad dressing to use for a quick marinade or flavoring. I used that as the oil for grilling and gave the zukes a nice hearty sprinkle of parmesan cheese once off the grill-done!  

This is the type of side dish that has folks saying, I never thought I'd like zucchini:@) Just make sure you don't over cook it... Pull it sooner, rather than later.

While I'm not adding it below, 

if you have some extra onion,

that would be a nice addition too:@)

Grilled Zucchini with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese

Cut zucchini and summer squash into a generous size 1/2" chunks

Italian dressing-your favorite brand

Grated parmesan cheese, the kind in the can

1. Add squash to bowl or zip top bag and top with enough Italian dressing to coat well.
2. Heat grill to hot. I like to add my grill pan as it's heating up.
3. Toss squash into pan and grill medium/hot for about 5-8 minutes or until desired doneness. We like it to still have some crunch and bite.
4. Add to bowl or platter, add extra shake or two of salad dressing, and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.
5. Add S&P to taste if desired. I didn't add any.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Fresh Green Bean and Pasta Salad & Barbie Halloween K-Cup Buckets

I had a handful of beans from the planter to use up, so I made a quick Fresh Green Bean and Pasta Salad. Honestly easy folks, five ingredients, and the most involved part is cooking the pasta. This is a great mix and serve salad, the Italian dressing adds lots of flavor. (This pic was taken ~hours~ after dinner.) And look at that great color, Christmas potluck anyone? Don't hesitate to give this a try if you're looking for a side dish that's just a tad different:@)

And in Barbie's World...

We made a cute little Recycled K-Cup Halloween Bucket.

This is a great seasonal project for kids,

they can decorate them any way desired.

✂What I did:

• Remove foil lid and filter from k-cup, wash and dry thoroughly.
• Poke a hole on each side, can ~carefully~ use scissors or an exacto knife, I used a hole punch (very easy).
• Run pipe cleaner through the holes, hold about 1" on outside of one hole. Create the handle by gently pulling the pipe cleaner up from the center of the bucket, and run the long end up creating a double handle. Twist together and secure loose ends.
• ***Time saver for lots of giggling girls... Create the buckets ahead of time, the girls can have a decorating party.
• Finish decorating as desired.
• Easy-peasy and cute😎

Fresh Green Bean and Pasta Salad-from Kraft

1 C dry penne pasta, cooked, run under cold water, drained well

1/2 lb fresh green beans, washed, dried, cut into 1" lengths

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 C zesty Italian salad dressing

1/4 C parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta per package directions, adding beans during the last 2 minutes.
2. Drain into colander, run under cold water, and drain well.
3. Mix everything and serve. Yep, easy-peasy.

Have a happy day:@)

Grilled Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Shish-Kabobs

I think we're all familiar with sausage, peppers and onions sandwiches (especially if you're in the mid Atlantic area:@) These Grilled Italian Sausage, Peppers & Onions Shish-Kabobs turned out to be a special treat over the 4th of July weekend, and saved a few calories sans the rolls... If you're looking for a fun theme'd party idea this summer, may I suggest a shish-kabob grill out. The idea would be for guests to come up with as many variations as possible, and I'll list some I've made in the past below. 

The only thing I'd like to mention is,

there's a big difference between grilling kielbasa and grilling Italian sausage...

The sausage is raw, it needs a little more time to cook through.

I suggest thinner slices and a ~lower~ heat for these kabobs,

this allows the meat to cook and the veggies don't burn.

You know you want some:@)

What's the red sauce?

Crystals hot sauce:@)

Yep, my son and I love hot sauce on our sausage and peppers!

More Ideas:

Honey Mustard Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary

Teriyaki Beef Kabobs with Pineapple (homemade teriyaki recipe here)

Kielbasa with BBQ Sauce

Ham and Peach Kabobs

You can find my Shish-KaBob Pinterest Board here.

Grilled Italian Sausage and Peppers Kabobs

1 lb coil of Italian Sausage, frozen and cut into 1/2"-ish circles.

4-6 Green, Red, Yellow, Orange, etc, bell peppers, 1" squares

large onion (sweet onion would be ideal), 1" squares

Italian salad dressing, to coat kabobs, and then for basting

Hot sauce-optional

Grated parmesan cheese-optional

1. While grill heats up to high, alternately spear sausage and vegetables. Douse with Italian dressing.
2. Turn grill to ~low~.
3. Add kabobs, lower hood, turn frequently allowing meat to slowly cook, baste occasionally with dressing. Keep checking for doneness, plan on about 20-30 minutes. But you'll need to be sure it's cooked through.
4. Serve as is, or over rice, or noodles, or on a roll, or with hot sauce or parm if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Creatively Crafty

What's for Dinner?

Fresh Green Bean Salad -Three Ingredient & Instant Pot Green Beans

The idea behind some of these -use it up- posts, is simply to help us look at garden vegetables, or leftovers, and pantry ingredients ~maybe~ in a new way. This super simple three ingredient Fresh Green Bean Salad is a good example of that. I had enough beans from the garden for a side nibble for Sunday dinner, but not quite enough to serve as a side dish. So I gave them a quick steam in the pressure cooker, sliced up some onion, and dressed them in Italian salad dressing. Everyone thought they turned out pretty darn good:@) 

At the beginning of grilling season each year,

I buy a nice big bottle of inexpensive Italian salad dressing.

It's great to have on hand,

I use it for everything from a quick grilling marinade,

to an easy dressing for pasta salad.

Actually, I've even started an Italian Dressing Pinterest Board...

Yep, it comes in that handy folks:@)

Fresh Green Bean Salad

• Green beans, washed, end(s) trimmed, cut into bite size pieces. Cook until al dente, run under cold water, drain well. (Pressure Cooker: 1 C water, add beans to steamer basket, set timer to 1 minute, automatic release, immediately run under cold water. 2 minutes if you prefer softer beans.)
• Onion, sliced, as much as you'd like. Sweet onion would be nice...
• Italian Salad Dressing, enough to generously coat the vegetables.
• Mix everything, store in refrigerator until ready to serve, best eaten the same day.

Let's use what the garden gifts us and have a happy day:@)

Pepperoni & Cheese Pasta Salad

If you're looking for a no-mayonnaise side dish, this Pepperoni and Cheese Pasta Salad is very good, comes together quickly, and you can make any additions or subtractions desired. The recipe is basically just a guideline, and a variation of a deli pasta salad. I just happened to have some pepperoni in the fridge, so this became lunch, it's good stuff:@) My pepperoni came pre-sliced, if I went shopping specifically to make this salad, I'd buy a stick and cut it into rounds, then fourths, like I cut the cucumber. I didn't use scallions, just some regular onion and chives for color. And obviously, any pasta shape you have on hand would work, but I will say the spirals are easy to get on the fork... Don't hesitate to whip some up folks, you really can't go wrong!

Pepperoni & Cheese Macaroni Salad-from Taste of Home

2 C dry spiral tri-color pasta, cooked, run under cold water, and drained well

1 C cubed cheddar cheese

1 C cubed cucumber

1 small tomato, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

28 pepperoni slices

1/2 C zesty Italian salad dressing-or just eye it

~Mix everything in bowl, cover and store in fridge until serving. Mix, drizzle with more dressing if needed.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grilled Zucchini Chunks with Balsamic Vinegar & Fresh Basil

Grilled Zucchini Chunks with Balsamic Vinegar and Fresh Basil, this was my favorite bite this weekend folks. Yep, zucchini... Super simple and very tasty:@) I had a couple 8"+ squash from the garden and made my slices thick, at least 1/2" and probably thicker, and then sliced them into four chucks. Thicker slices helps them maintain some bite, that's important. The biggest complaint most people have about summer squash is, it's soggy. Add a little grilled char, some sweet/tangy vinegar, a pungent herb, and you have a very nice side dish!

My son said: I'm all for anything that turns a vegetable I don't care for, into something enjoyable... And nope, not one chunk left:@)

I know times are tight right now, I'm feeling it too. But, if you're looking for a special foodie treat... Last year my son found this great balsamic vinegar on a list of 100 things to try... Just sharing a ~very~ nice treat:@)

Truly special:@)

Grilled Zucchini Chunks with Balsamic Vinegar & Fresh Basil

Zucchini, washed, dried, very thickly sliced, and each circle cut into fourths

Onion, chunked. Rough estimate, at least one hearty chunk for each bite of squash. Or easier, once you think you have enough, add more:@)

Italian Salad Dressing, enough to thoroughly coat the vegetables

Hearty pinch of salt

Good balsamic vinegar

Fresh basil, very thinly sliced

1. Heat grill pan to high.
2. As pan heats up, mix zucchini and onion with Italian dressing.
3. Once grill is ready, add sprinkle of salt to veggies, stir well. Add squash to pan in single layer, reduce heat to medium.
4. Allow to sit for a few minutes, stir, get some color on the other side of squash too. Cook for maybe 8 minutes total. Or until squash is your desired level of doneness.
5. Pour onto serving platter, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with basil.
6. Add salt if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Creatively Crafty

Handmade Monday

Wonderful Wednesday

Grilled Bell Peppers and Kielbasa with Mustard Italian Dressing Marinade

I do have to say folks, for how simple this Mustard Italian Dressing Marinade is, it made some good Grilled Kielbasa, or Smoked Sausage, with Bell Peppers and Onions:@) Nothing fancy, no long marinating time, simply mix, add veggies and meat, give a good stir, and let hang out while the grill heats up. This marinade is not going to add big assertive flavor, but there sure were some bites that made me say 'oh, that's nice'. I say, we're going to add a little oil while grilling out anyway, why not bump up the flavor a bit!

Mustard Italian Dressing Marinade=Equal amounts of each.

Grilled Bell Peppers with Kielbasa and Mustard Italian Dressing Marinade

1. Clean and dice peppers into 1" chunks.
2. Cut sausage into 1/2" thick rounds, cut circles in half.
3. Slice onion any way you'd like to, a sweet onion would be extra nice.
4. Half Italian dressing (we like Good Seasons), half yellow mustard: Mix enough marinade to cover veggies and meat well.
5. Let sit while lighting grill. Add grill pan to grate to heat up.
6. Give everything a stir, add to grill pan, cook medium/high until desired doneness.
7. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner-Italian Sausage & Veggies-And Bear Mountain Smoke 'Ems Pellet Review

Sheet pan dinners have been all the rage for quite a while... Well, now that it's getting warmer out I decided to take mine outside to the grill:@) I made an Italian Sausage and Mixed Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner with nothing more than olive oil, Italian Seasoning and a little extra smoky goodness thanks to Bear Mountain Smoke 'Ems BBQ wood smoking pellets. While everything was cooking on the grill I made a little pasta to toss into the pan once done. If it was hot out, I'd have boiled the water on the side burner too. Use any veggies you'd like, but onion, bell peppers and summer squash are a great place to start... This was a wonderful meal and I'm looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow too!

My pan just as I placed it on the smoky grill,

I used a disposable turkey roasting pan-gotta love the clean up:@)

Bear Mountain Smoke 'Ems are packets of gourmet wood pellets that are ready to be tossed onto your grill. No matter where you're grilling... No soaking or special boxes needed, they are very convenient!

I used the Gourmet Blend for this meal, I can't wait to try the other flavors, especially the Sweet BBQ with chicken, pork or ham and ~lots~ of pineapple:@)

It would be hard for me to sum these little nuggets of smoky flavor up any better than Bear Mountain already did:

Adding up to 45 minutes of natural hardwood smoke, these small but mighty packets are ideal for life on the go. Use Smoke ‘Ems on your backyard gas grill, or while camping and tailgating, to add the right touch of smokiness to those delicious meals on the grill.

It's grilling season folks...

Let's make it an extra flavorful one this year:@)

Grilled Smoky Sheet Pan Dinner, Italian Sausage & Mixed Vegetables

1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed, 3/4" rounds, cut in half

1 large yellow onion, 1" chunks

1 large green bell pepper, 1" chunks

1 large red bell pepper, 1" chunks

1 medium zucchini, 3/4" slices, cut in quarters

1 medium/small yellow squash, 3/4" slices, cut in quarters

small head broccoli, cut into small florets

cherry tomatoes, as many as you'd like

1 generous Tblsp Italian Seasoning

2 Tblsp olive oil ~or~ Italian salad dressing, or enough to coat everything

up to 1/2 lb pasta of choice, cooked as desired

S&P to taste

1. Preheat all burners of grill to high, place Smoke 'Ems pack over flame on grill grate.
2. Add everything, except pasta, to disposable pan, mix well.
3. Place pan on grill, reduce heat to medium high. Turn burner on far end off. 
4. Close lid and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
5. While sheet pan is cooking prepare the pasta as desired, drain well.
6. Stir everything and begin to move softer veggies (squash and tomatoes) to the far end of the pan, the side where the burner is off. Try to keep meat in single layer touching bottom of pan.
7. Close lid and cook for another 7 minutes, stir. Cook until sausage is done.
8. Sprinkle generously with S&P, toss pasta into pan, stir and serve.

I'd like to thank Bear Mountain for providing the smoking pellets for review,

all opinions are my own.

Don't hesitate to stop by their site folks, you might just be inspired too!

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Oven Roasted Asparagus with Italian Dressing and Extra Garlic

Much like corn on the cob in summer, I do try to eat asparagus often in the springtime. This Oven Roasted Asparagus with Italian Dressing and Extra Garlic was super simple and very tasty! Cooking it on a disposable pan made clean-up pretty easy too:@) Nothing exact or ground breaking here, coat with your favorite salad dressing and toss in some fresh garlic. Healthy, hearty ~and~ a very nice side dish.

Oven Roasted Asparagus with Italian Dressing and Extra Garlic

1. Drizzle asparagus with Italian dressing, just enough to coat it.
2. Add slivered or minced garlic, as much as you'd like... You know your crowd:@) I added one clove of garlic for about 7 spears of asparagus. I do think slivered garlic would make a prettier presentation.
3. Roast in 425 degree oven for 7 minutes, stir, return to oven for 5-7 minutes longer or until desired doneness.
4. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
5. Optional: Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese (the kind in the can).

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Hot Broccoli and Cheese Dip, Little Dipper Crock Pot or Oven Baked

Do you hear the buzz and feel the excitement in the air??? Yep, we're getting back to football season:@) Football always makes me think of dips and the first one I tried this year is this Hot Broccoli and Cheese Dip. I chose to cut the recipe in half and use my Little Dipper Crock Pot, and it worked great. I did thaw my broccoli in the microwave and pressed it several times between paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. This recipe has lots of dairy and is a ~very~ rich dip folks.

I had potato chips, tortilla chips and crackers, I think you could serve it with little toasts or bagel crisps too. Oh, and... 

It would probably be pretty good with carrot and celery sticks too:@)

Leftovers? How about melting the leftovers and adding it to some pasta and grilled/rotisserie chicken for lunch.

Hot Broccoli and Cheese Dip-from Kraft
*Cut recipe in half for Little Dipper Crock Pot
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 C sour cream
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese, divided
10 oz chopped frozen broccoli, thawed, dried well and chopped smaller if needed

1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, Italian dressing and 1 1/2 C cheddar cheese.
2. Fold in broccoli.
3. Pour into oil sprayed 9" pie plate (for full recipe to be baked in oven), or spoon into Little Dipper (half recipe).
4. Oven: Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, sprinkle with reserved cheese, bake 5 minutes more or until cheese has melted.
5. Crock Pot: Place paper towel under crock pot lid, plug in Little Dipper, stir after 45 minutes. Heat until dip is melted and hot (mine took about 1 1/2 hours total).

🏈Eat well and enjoy football season folks... 

We're expecting big things in Philly this year:@)

Grill Pan Roasted Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Dinner -Chicken, Zucchini, Green Pepper & Onion

Nothing new or ground breaking here folks, just a reminder that this Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Chicken and Vegetable Grill Pan Dinner is the easiest way to make a very flavorful meal in minutes. It's a win-win because as we enter August, we're using the grill so the kitchen doesn't heat up, and it cooks quickly so ~we~ don't heat up too much outside. Gotta love it:@) Add any vegetable you like to grill, I used the readily available summer trinity... Zucchini or yellow squash, green pepper and onion.

If you want to make things fancier, this would be a great shish-ka-bob too.

Grill Pan Roasted Italian Salad Dressing Marinated Chicken and Vegetables
Chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cut on the diagonal approx 1/2-3/4" thick, and then into 1" chunks
Vegetables, cut into approx 1" bite size pieces-I used peppers, onion and zucchini
Your favorite Italian Salad Dressing-We like Good Seasons
Fresh black pepper
Salt to taste

1. Place grill pan on grill and light grill.
2. Add everything (I held out the zucchini until step 3, that's totally my preference and you could add it now), to large bowl or disposable zip top food bag. Cover liberally with Italian dressing, add a few hearty grinds of pepper, and let sit while grill heats up.
3. When grill is hot add zucchini to bowl/bag and stir well.
4. Pour everything into grill pan, spread out into one layer if possible. 
5. Close lid, lower heat to medium high and set timer for 5 minutes.
6. Open lid and give everything a stir.
7. Close lid and set timer for 4 minutes. *Note: if everything looks wet and seems to be steaming more than roasting I raise the heat higher.
8. Cook until chicken is done.
9. Sprinkle with Kosher salt before serving if desired.

Eat well, stay cool and have a happy day:@)

Zesty Italian Cucumber Salad

I saved this recipe for Zesty Italian Cucumber Salad the minute I saw it! I love every single ingredient and using your favorite Italian salad dressing (Good Seasons for us:@) makes it nice and easy. The only thing that could make this any better... A garden tomato, but we have a way to go before that happens here in Philly. It would be pretty with some of the green left on the cucumber too. Don't hesitate to give this a try folks, it's light and perky, and speaks to warmer weather!

Want something a little more substantial? 

Toss in some cooked macaroni and call it pasta salad (I called it lunch:@)

Zesty Italian Cucumber Salad-from Red & Honey
3 cucumbers spiralized into noodles-I just cut mine into half moons
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 C onion, diced
1/4 C green olives, sliced in half or large chopped
1/4 C pepperoni, sliced or diced-I made match sticks
1/8 C Parmesan cheese-I used the can
1 Tblsp oregano-I cut back a little
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Italian Salad Dressing, enough to coat everything well
~Mix everything and let mingle in the refrigerator for an hour.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Marinated Mozzarella Cheese and Olives-last minute appetizer

Just find out guests are stopping by? Or need one more appy for the party? Mozzarella Cheese and Olives marinated in Italian dressing and orange zest would be a nice easy treat! It offers tons of options too, mix and match anything you like, assorted green and black olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh crunchy celery, want to add some pepperoncini? Go ahead, you know your crowd:@) This appy gets livened up with fresh orange zest, chopped parsley and crushed red pepper flakes. Just be sure to use your favorite Italian dressing and enjoy!

I really do love all of the pretty colors:@)

Marinated Mozzarella Cheese and Olives
Mozzarella-either a big ball cut into cubes or fancy Bocconcini
Italian Dressing-I like Good Seasons
Drizzle of flavorful olive oil, approx 1 tsp for each cup of veggies
Olives of your choice
Anything else that sounds good
zest of an orange, approx 1/4 tsp for each cup of veggies
Sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley, enough to add pretty color when mixed
a few shakes of crushed red pepper

• No real recipe here folks, add cheese and olives, etc. to a big bowl. Pour enough dressing over everything to coat it, add a small splash of olive oil. Sprinkle with zest, parsley and crushed pepper flakes. Mix well, cover and let marinate in the fridge one hour. Serve with fun picks and enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone-enjoy the holiday weekend!

Eat well, stay safe and play nice:@)

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Theme'd Link-Up for All Things Thanksgiving

Pickled Navy Bean Salad

This Pickled Navy Bean Salad is really, really nice! It's a sweet pickled salad with cool, crunchy celery and green pepper. No mayo, so it's perfect for those upcoming picnics and BBQ's. I do highly recommend this one folks... I'll be making this jazzier, herb-y, robust Italian version of it's cousin, Three Bean Salad, again:@)

I made mine with a can of beans and approximated 1/3 of the recipe. 

You can stop by the linked site for directions using dry beans.

Pickled Navy Bean Salad-adapted from Marilyn's Treats
15 oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 C celery, diced
3 Tblsp onion, small dice
3 Tblsp green bell pepper, diced
3 Tblsp pimento, drained and diced-I used roasted red pepper
3 Tblsp Italian dressing
3 Tblsp vinegar-I used apple cider vinegar
2 Tblsp sugar
1/3 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp garlic powder
couple dashes of paprika
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste
~Gently mix everything and let mingle in the fridge for 4 hours. Best eaten the same day.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken

True confession time... I'm more of a pressure cooker rather than slow cooker kinda gal. But-I'm trying to broaden my horizons and embrace slow cooking, I know so many folks love it. This Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken is a very tasty "toss it into the pot and go about your day" meal. It's perfect whether you want to have dinner ready when you get home from work or are feeding a crowd at the next football party. You can serve the meat as sandwiches, or over rice or noodles. This tastes great, but let's be honest... Sweet Baby Ray's is da bomb, so yea, it tastes great:@)

 I used the low slow cooker setting on my 6 quart ♥Instant Pot-still lovin' that purchase folks!

Notes and tips:

• Remove lid away from the pot so condensation doesn't run back into the pot. I do this for both pressure cooker and slow cooker recipes.
• It will look wet and soupy, but once you add the shredded chicken back, it will soak up the moisture.
• Offer bottles of BBQ sauce and hot sauce for serving. Cole slaw would be nice too:@)
• My chicken breasts were Dolly Parton sized (two breasts weighed over 2 lbs)... I would cut them in half next time.
• Recipe easily doubled for a crowd.
• This would work just as well with pork.

Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken-from Family Fresh Meals
2 lbs boneless, skinless breasts, trimmed of fat
1 C BBQ sauce-I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original
1/4 C Italian salad dressing
1/4 C brown sugar
1 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
salt to taste-I omitted this

1. Toss everything except chicken into the cooking vessel, mix well. 
2. Add chicken, turn to coat with sauce.
3. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. (My huge breasts took over 6 hours on low, I would cut them in half next time).
4. Remove meat, shred, add back to vessel, mix well. If too soupy use saute function and cook for a few minutes, if it looks a little dry add an extra squirt of BBQ sauce.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)