Spring Break Recipe Rundown

Happy Spring Breakout out there! I figured I would start out the spring break week with a rundown of some of my favorite recent recipes. We had such a beautiful weekend here. Really put me in the mood for warm weather! My oldest daughter has had some zingers lately, I just have to share a couple of them. She has been telling everyone she loves lately that she "loves them INTO pieces" this of course instead of "I love you to pieces." I am sure that this statement will come back to haunt me in some way later in life when she remembers this. But something she recently said will definitely come back to haunt her in the next ten years when I remind her of it at the tender age of 13....Let me preface this with the explanation that for a few weeks, burping invaded my happy home. All it took was one LOUD burp from my son and his little sister fell in love with the sound and name of that lovely body function in no time! While at her Aunt and Uncle's house, she announced to everyone that she had just "burped out my bottom" Oh yes, she did. Lovely huh? I am totally going to win MOTHER OF THE YEAR. My beautiful 3 year old daughter has fallen in love with the sound of passing gas. It would be heart breaking if I wasn't so tired! :) Now onto some good and easy eats! These are some of my family's favorites: Fresh tomato pesto with pasta, too easy Peanut Butter Kiss cookies, My BBQ Sauce and Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Cream Syrup.



Too Easy Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies:

1 package Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix (the dry mix, usually around $1.50)
1 egg
3 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 sugar
Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together in a large bowl: the egg, oil, salt, vanilla extract, and peanut butter. When thoroughly mixed, add the dry cookie mix and stir to combine. Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop make balls with the dough and roll them in the sugar. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. Take the out of the oven and gently press a Hershey kiss into each cooked ball. Let them cool (if you can wait that long) and store in an airtight container.



My BBQ Sauce

This quick and easy sauce is tart and sweet...but no heat. It is a vinegary (is that even a word?) sauce, so keep that in mind before you make it. My favorite combinations are sweet and tart so this BBQ sauce was a winner in my house. I love it on any kind of protein, surprisingly very good on salmon. Really.

3/4 cup ketchup
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove chopped fine
2 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBSP brown sugar packed

Mix the above in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 minute on high, then whisk again and its ready to serve.


Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes with Maple Cream Syrup

2 cups Bisquick mix ( you can use the light)
1 1/2 cups milk (any kind will work)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp lemon zest
cooking spray
Maple Cream Syrup (recipe follows)

Mix all of the above ingredients except the blueberries and the syrup with a whisk until combined. The mixture may be a little lumpy and that is OK. Heat a skillet, I like to use a nonstick, over medium heat and spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour 4-5 scoops of the mix onto the hot skillet leaving room to be able to flip. Quickly sprinkle about a tablespoon of blueberries onto the top of each pancake before you flip the other side. This way the berries stick to the uncooked portion of the batter. If you mix the berries into the batter it may turn gray or blueish due to the color of the berries. Cook the pancakes on each side for about 2 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Serve with syrup or maple cream syrup.

Maple Cream Syrup:

1/2 cup maple syrup, any grade will work
4 TBSP melted butter, but must be cool, not hot
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Melt and cool to just warm or room temperature your 4 tablespoons of butter. I do this in the microwave. Then add your maple syrup and vanilla and whisk, and you must use a whisk, for about 2 minutes. This whips the butter to a creamy stage while incorporating the maple syrup and then serve....SO good :)

Fresh Tomato Pesto with Pasta

1/4 cup slivered almonds (toasted if you have time)
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (one container)
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove , minced
1/2 Kosher salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 green onions chopped
1 pound pasta, thin spaghetti
1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

If you have time, heat the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes to lightly toast and then cool. If you don't have time, go ahead and use them straight from the package. In a food processor, process almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the green onion, and red pepper flakes until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 30 seconds. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook per package directions. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot. Add pesto and the other 1/4 cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats pasta. Serve immediately.