olives

How to Make an Awesome Antipasto Salad Platter

Making a salad for a crowd doesn’t get any easier than adding all the antipasto toppings like olives, pickled veggies, artichokes, pepperoncini, salami, salumi, prosciutto, pasta and mozzarella balls to a big pile of lettuce for an Italian salad everyone will love.

This recipe is in partnership with DeLallo Foods

Antipasto is known as the first course of the Italian meal. It’s the time to get a nibble of olives and pickled peppers or a bite of cured meats and cheeses, and to prepare your belly for the feast about to come.

What I love about this Antipasto Salad Platter is it bridges the gap between that appetizer course and the salad course, for a more relaxed vibe that mixes all my favorite tastes together, and can easily be made into a meal all its own.

And when you serve this salad family-style in the middle of the table, everyone can add “just a little more” to suit their taste and their appetite, creating a more festively communal way to share.

continue to the recipe… about How to Make an Awesome Antipasto Salad Platter

Creamy Tuscan Pasta Salad

Whether it’s a holiday celebration or a simple family gathering, an easy to make pasta salad is always my favorite for feeding a crowd. This recipe combines the Tuscan flavors of three different salamis, provolone cheese and classic Italian white beans, with black olives, tomatoes, spinach, onion and egg noodles all tossed up with a creamy-style dressing.

This post is brought to you by Applegate

My mom and I have our favorite place to go for lunch. At this point, there really isn’t much point in even looking at the menu, because our orders are always the same: French onion soup and pasta salad of the day. It doesn’t matter what pasta salad they’re serving as the special that day, we know it’s always going to be good and that my mom is always going to ask for extra dressing. It’s just what she does.

So when I was thinking about creating a recipe using Applegate Naturals® Genoa Salami Trio, I didn’t have to go very far out of my mom’s and my favorite food comfort zone and fork-twirl my pasta noodle in a simple Italian-style Tuscan pasta salad with a creamy dressing. And a little extra for my mom, of course.

It also has the festive colors of the season sporting red, green and white. Well actually, of any season given it transitions smoothly no matter which month it makes an appearance in.

continue to the recipe… about Creamy Tuscan Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumbers and Artichoke Hearts

During the summer months, I make one variation or another of this Greek Pasta Salad at least twice a month, and because I have the basics down, it’s easy to pull together for get-togethers, potlucks and BBQs.

Just like a signature scent, song, and style, every home cook should have a defining mark that sets us apart from the pack. A signature dish. That one recipe to rely on, to go back to, time and time again. A recipe we know like the back of our hand, to pull out of our back pocket at a moment’s notice and feel 100% confident that THIS dish…this dish will deliver.

Friends, meet my signature pasta salad. My loaded Greek pasta salad.

It’s ultimately adaptable and flexible depending on the ingredients I have—or don’t have—in the pantry or refrigerator. continue to the recipe… about Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumbers and Artichoke Hearts

Cheesy Texas Trash Dip

This favorite Mexican bean dip gets its popular flavor from taco seasoning and green chiles baked in a mix of cream cheese, sour cream, and Mexican cheese—it’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

This post is in partnership with McCormick

I have several good friends who are true Texans. They’re the kind that are proud to bear a full-blown Texas sticker on the back window of their car (Nicole). They’re also those in the group photo who throw up the Longhorns hand signal whenever a group photo is taken (Laura). It’s cute. It’s endearing. And bless their hearts, they are a proud bunch.

My sister, a Utah transplant, also lives in Texas. Houston to be exact. Home to a certain football team that just might be working their way through the playoffs and who I’m in a football viewing dippable face-off where I’m representin’ Houston.

While it’s the state that bears my sister’s address on her drivers license, after 15 plus years, I think we’ve finally convinced her and the husband that they’ll eventually be coming back home to the Wasatch front. Right Holly? RIGHHHHHT???? Mom, and dad, and I are waiting for you. Just sayin’. #throwthelonghornsignhere

But until then…continue to the recipe… about Cheesy Texas Trash Dip

Easy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad

Classic Italian flavors make this super easy spaghetti pasta salad with pepperoni, veggies and dressing a potluck favorite everyone will love.

Picky eaters. Just like dust bunnies and crumbs dropped and forgotten (or ignored?) in the corners of the kitchen, there’s always a few in the room.

This salad is made for picky eaters. Minus the onions, maybe. Because who doesn’t love spaghetti? And pepperoni? And olives doused with a tangy Italian dressing?

I made this pasta salad along with this Broccoli Salad for a potluck dinner a few weeks ago. I knew there were picky eaters in the crowd, and I knew there was a very slim chance those eaters were going to be partaking of broccoli, especially in a salad.

This was my offering for them. A crowd pleaser was in the house.

continue to the recipe… about Easy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad

Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe

Chicken thighs are nestled in Spanish-flavored rice with Spanish chorizo, green olives, and garbanzo beans for the ultimate one-pot meal.

I pretty much live at my local Smith’s Marketplace.

It’s where I shop for groceries for the blog, and for my family’s dinner. It’s where I buy all of the little green seedlings for my garden. It’s where I shop for hooks and screws, birdseed, my daughter’s never ending supply of footie golf socks, and fingernail polish.

I even fill up my car there. I mean, there’s no way I’m turning away that extra gas discount I get points for whenever I go through the checkout. Not to mention it’s only 1 mile away from my house. Cha-ching.

That’s why this year I’m beyond thrilled to be a Kroger blogging ambassador, where I will be creating and sharing recipes featuring all sorts of products from Kroger grocery stores for my family, and for yours.

We’re starting our year-long partnership off with a mega dose of Spanish-cha-cha flavor, and routing ourselves to the cuisine of Spain to celebrate Kroger’s Taste of Spain event beginning April 3. I’m sharing my version of Spanish Chicken with Rice, traditionally called Arroz con Pollo, dosed up with the tang of authentic Spanish chorizo, saffron and green olives.

Spanish dancer emoji approved! 💃💃💃💃💃

continue to the recipe… about Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe

One-Pan Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

You might have a secret desire to be Suzy homemaker. Or to be known as the Martha Stewart of your neighborhood. Or strive to be just like whoever that overachiever is on Pinterest who makes, creates and cooks every. single. thing. from scratch.

I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to let those dreams die.

It’s okay to take a short cut here and there.

You don’t have to do it all, every. single. time. Especially when it comes to weeknights in the kitchen when all you’re craving is some simple, easy comfort food.

Hey! Let’s jump on the short cut, one-pan-dinner train together.

continue to the recipe… about One-Pan Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

Just like how I like my desserts both salty and sweet, I really dig a dinner that combines bright and briny flavors with each and every savory, Mediterranean flavored bite.

My taste buds have a mind of their own. And lemon is usually part of their brainwash. And olives, and capers and anything pickle-ish. We can save the “get pickled” jokes for the weekend.

Making another appearance here on the blog, skinless and boneless chicken thighs are the centerpiece of this dish.

Honey mustard flavored, kicked up Tabasco braised and slow cooker balsamic thighs of the fowl have all found their way to my dinner table. And I’m pretty sure this dish of Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons won’t be the last thigh I’ll be sharing with you anytime soon.

Let’s save the Angelina Jolie thigh jokes for the next awards show red carpet, okay?

continue to the recipe… about Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms to Feed a Child and Nourish a Mind

There are so many reasons to eat well in this world. For the fortunate—those that have a paycheck to spend and nutritious food nearby to invest that paycheck in—there are many opportunities to do so.

But for some life doesn’t work that way. There isn’t a paycheck. Sometimes there isn’t even a store. And others to provide for you? That could very possibly be out of the question too.

For adults in this situation it can become a circular battle that just keeps spinning out of control. For an adult who isn’t sure of where their next meal is coming from, at least they can be hopeful that there is a way out and work toward that goal.

But what about the children? Children who don’t have access to food? Kids who are forever hungry. Starving even. Those little faces who have no control over where or if they’ll be eating today, tomorrow or next week? Can you imagine how scared they must feel? How overwhelming it must be to simply. not. know.

Today I’m asking that you join me in making a change in the lives of those that go hungry. I’m challenging you to join me in donating just $10 to The Lunchbox Fund to provide lunch for 100 school children for one year. A lunch that could possibly be there only meal of the day.

continue to the recipe… about Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms to Feed a Child and Nourish a Mind

Whole Wheat Greek Pasta Salad

If you’re like me, you love the traditional flavors of Whole Wheat Greek Pasta Salad, but when you give it a try with whole wheat noodles, you’ve just upped your healthy foodie factor in a big way.

There I was, sitting in front of my computer staring at the deliciousness that resonated from the final edit on the summer issue of FoodieCrush magazine when the sudden craving for a salty burst of balsamic/basil/tomato flavors hit me smack in the flavor senses.

Before I get too far into the thick of the tomato, I must say a big thank you and send virtual fist pumps, high fives and air kisses to everyone who has checked out, commented, tweeted and Facebooked about the new issue and the bloggers, recipes and interviews that are featured in it’s flippable online pages.

If you haven’t taken a look yet, please do, and definitely click over to the linked food blogger’s sites to see more of their delicious tastes.

Now, back to our pasta at hand.

continue to the recipe… about Whole Wheat Greek Pasta Salad

Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Last Halloween I was beyond impressed with the number of creative and scary recipes I saw bounding about the blogosphere. How do people come up with this stuff?

I don’t remember this sort of thing happening when I was a kid. Or is it just because back then all that mattered to me was where Malibu Barbie, Francie, PJ and Skipper were going to head off to in the camper trailer and would they ever find Ken? Poor PJ, she never quite made the cut and always had to sit in the back.

This year I was inspired to throw my hat into the Halloween themed ring of fire and so I did what I always do when I need a creative consultation: I went to my partner in crime, G-Dawg—aka my husband who I think puts MacGyver to shame—and set him to task in scheming how we were going to create eyeballs out of cheeseballs.

After watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives a while back where I learned the secret to the perfect deep fried anything and everything I knew I wanted to create a recipe for deep fried mozzarella eyeballs. The secret dredge worked perfectly to form golden orbs of melty, bloodshot eyeballs.continue to the recipe… about Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

I’ve been feeling a bit DIY these days. And I blame it all on fall.

Homemade pizza dough, fresh baked bread from MY oven and even making tofu from scratch (a blog post is coming soon, I promise you won’t want to miss it!)

So after trolling through several recipes for homemade ricotta, I pulled up my bootstraps, dashed to the store for a new aka un-cracked candy thermometer and gave it a whirl.

May I just say, in my best Giada voice with a trill of the ‘R’, “REEE-COOOAAA-TA!” Seriously? Making ricotta is THIS EASY? And THIS QUICK? It takes me more time to put on my makeup in the morning. Why have I never tried becoming a cheesemaker before?

Next time I’ll experiment with the amount of time I let the cheese drain in the colander—similar to the tofu pressing process—and see what sort of variety I get in the cheese’s texture. Maybe a bit creamier, maybe a bit firmer. Either which way, I know I’m going to love it.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

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Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

Fresh and easy appetizer for any occasion.

Ingredients

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

from Donna Hay magazine
makes 1 1/4 cups
6 cups 48 fl oz full cream milk
2 T white vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
In a saucepan adjust a candy thermometer to side and cook milk over medium heat to 176 degrees F. Remove from heat, add vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes until curds form. Line a colander with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Using a slotted spoon, Carefully transfer curds to the colander and allow to drain for 5 minutes. Spoon ricotta into a glass or ceramic dish, cover and store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

inspired by Donna Hay magazine
serves 4-6 as an appetizer
for peppered ricotta crostini
1 1/4 cups fresh ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic pressed
kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
8 slices french or sourdough baguette
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a bowl combine ricotta, parmesan, garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon ricotta into 2 large ramekins or other bake-to-serve vessel (6 oz) and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden. While ricotta is baking, lightly oil baguette slices and toast. To plate, serve baguette slices topped with baked ricotta mixture, roasted tomatoes* and sprinking of fresh thyme leaves. Serve additional ricotta on the side for extra dipping opportunities.
*for roasted tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
olive oil
kosher salt
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a bowl toss tomatoes with a few drizzles of olive oil, just enough to coat. Cut tomatoes in half and place seed side up on a foil-covered cookie sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and roast in oven for 2- 2/12 hours, depending on size of tomatoes. Remove when edges are crisped but tomatoes still have some plump. Store in olive oil for up to one week.

And now, for a little more cheesey appetizer goodness.

photo > Dishing Up Delights

With just a 5 ingredients, making sure they’re at optimal freshness is the secret to Dishing Up Delights’ come-together-in-five-minutes Figs with Fresh Ricotta and Pistachios appetizer. For a creamier cheese texture, next time give marscarpone a try.

photo > Bell’alimento

Bite size poppers from the homemade ricotta queen herself, Paula shares Bell’alimento’s Fried Olives Stuffed with Cheeses and Herbs of which she has annointed “the incredibly addictive app”. I’m puckering already.

photo > Five and Spice

When Amy described her Zucchini and Ricotta Fritters as “sizzling little guys practically grow legs as they come off the griddle and go leaping right into your mouth” it was a no-brainer that this recipe from Five and Spice was going to put my zucchini garden straight out of business.

This Wednesday will be our Family Food Flashback with a round-up of childhood faves. If you have a fave you’d like to submit to the Flashback, e-mail me by Tuesday, Oct.4 by 3 p.m. with a link to your post or link to your post on Twitter with the hashtag #familyfoodflash.

We’re ramping up for debut issue of FoodieCrush magazine. When will November 15 get here already? If you’re interested in advertising and partnership opportunities, contact me at heidi at foodiecrush dot com.

Thanks for reading. If you liked this post, please subscribe to foodiecrush and follow me on twitter, Facebook and Pinterest

olives

How to Make an Awesome Antipasto Salad Platter

Creamy Tuscan Pasta Salad

Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumbers and Artichoke Hearts

Cheesy Texas Trash Dip

Easy Italian Spaghetti Pasta Salad

Spanish Chicken and Rice Recipe

One-Pan Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

Sautéed Chicken with Olives, Capers and Lemons

Pizza Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms to Feed a Child and Nourish a Mind

Whole Wheat Greek Pasta Salad

Spooky Fried Mozzarella Eyeballs Plus 5 Scary Recipes

Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Baked Peppered Ricotta Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals