{Life Lately}

Hello, Friends!

(Aren't they just the cutest?)

Life has been pretty busy for the last few weeks, and I feel as though life won’t be slowing down any time soon!  But you know what, even though life has been pretty crazy and full of changes, I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying myself! Life has been filled with friends, family, a move, a new category at work which was then followed by a promotion, I truly have nothing to complain about nor should I be complaining!  My world has been turned upside down with changes but hey that is life!  Isn’t life all about growing and changing and taking on new adventures/challenges?  I think so!

{Happy 4th of July}

Wishing you all a wonderful 4th of July! Hope your day is filled with celebrating our great Nation, family, friends and good food! 

Happy 4th of July! 

PS if you missed the recipe round up on the blog yesterday... here it is!  

{4th of July Recipe Round Up}

I love the 4^th of July!  I  find it exciting and an honor that we get to spend an entire day celebrating our Nation!  I love gathering with friends and family, grilling out, watching fireworks and getting decked out in Red, White and Blue!  I still remember when I was younger my mom dressing both my sister and I in matching flag shirts, you know what ones I am talking about!  We were really cute kids, I promise! 

(Source)

Anyway, with the 4^th of July being tomorrow I figured I would give you a nice little run down of a few recipes that I think would be perfect for your 4^th of July get together!  Whether you are throwing a huge 4^th of July bash or a small intimate get together with close friends and family, these recipes are sure to please and impress!  So here is is, your 2014 4th of July Recipe Round Up!

Apps/Salads

Marinaded 3 Bean Salad - Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Summer Pasta Salad – Brunch N’Cupcakes  

Patriotic Fruit and Cheese Skewers - Whats Cooking with Ruthie 

{Salmon with Tomato, Avocado and Corn Burschetta}

Cooking in my apartment right now has been pretty interesting!  My sister and I are living among boxes, furniture, and suitcases and we prepare for the move on Thursday (YAY)!  My sister and I are making the best of it however, and I have to say that cooking is way more exciting when you have no idea where your cooking utensils, spices or pots and pans are! 

Anyways, yesterday I whipped up this delicious pan seared salmon for my sister and I, Mainly because the only thing I could find to cook on was a large skillet!  Anyways, we topped this simple pan seared salmon with the most delicious tomato avocado and corn burschetta.  Now let me just pause for a moment and talk about how obsessed I am with tomato and avocado as a pairing!  Oh, my, goodness is it one of the best (still might not take the place of PB and chocolate in my book, but pretty close)!  Tomato and avocado were made to go together.  The creaminess of the avocado paired with the bright pop of flavor from the grape tomatoes, yum!  Ok, side note over…

I think you really need to make this Salmon!  It is a simple meal, filled with tons of flavor!  The salmon is lightly pan seared with a little seasoning and the burchetta topping adds extra flavor and texture!  Pair the salmon with a simple green salad or steamed veggies and you have a delicious meal! 

Salmon with Tomato, Avocado and Corn Burschetta

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 2-4

Ingredients: 

3/4 -1 Pound Fresh Salmon 

Teaspoon Pepper and Basil 

1/4 Teaspoon Salt 

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil 

For the Burschetta: 

1/2 Cup Fresh Sweet Corn 

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes Roughly Chopped 

1/2 Avocado Chopped 

1 Teaspoon Dry Basil 

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar 

1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil 

Directions:

1- Combine Burschetta ingredients into a small bowl, lightly mix and set aside. 

2- Coat both sides of the fish with olive oil and seasonings.  Heat a small skillet on medium heat and cook salmon for 4 minutes on each side or until salmon has reached the desired degree of doneness.  

3- Plate salmon and top with the fresh burschetta, serve immediately! 

Check out these other delicious salmon recipes from around the web! 

Grilled Salmon with Tomato Basil Burschetta - Krista's Kitchen 
Marinaded Salmon with Mango Kiwi Relish - Cooking Light 
Tomato Citrus Salmon - Cooking Light 

Enjoy! 

{Summer Quinoa Salad with Fresh Basil and Lemon Honey Dressing}

Bird seed  (how my dad refers to quinoa) might be one of my favorite grains.  Quick cooking, simple to prepare and a great addition to any meal.  I love a huge spoonful of quinoa plopped on top of a veggie packed salad, I love quinoa stirred into soups for a little extra texture, heck I will even top quinoa with fresh fruit for breakfast!  However, I have to say my all time favorite way to enjoy quinoa is as a base for a veggie packed grain salad!  Seriously, one of my favorite things to do Sunday night is to whip up a delicious veggie packed quinoa salad that I can enjoy all week long!  Quinoa  is pretty much a blank slate, all you need are your favorite veggies, a little protein, light dressing and a few fresh herbs for flavor, and voila you have a great salad!  

For this simple grain salad I used a tri Colored quinoa as the base and tossed the cooked quinoa with fresh pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers and onion.  Fresh basil and adds a great flavor kick, and the grilled chicken provides good for you protein.  The entire salad is then drizzled with a lemon honey dressing!  Yum!  Easy, fresh, and clean!

Summer Quinoa Salad with Fresh Basil and Lemon Honey Dressing

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients 

Dressing: 

1 1/2 Tablspoon Honey 

Zest From one Lemon 

4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice 

1 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil 

1 Minced Garlic Clove 

Salad: 

1 Handful Fresh Basil Roughly Chopped 

1 Cup Chopped Grape Tomatoes 

1/2 Medium Cucumber Chopped 

1/2 Red Pepper Chopped

1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Onion  

2 Chicken Breast 

2 Cups Cooked Quinoa 

Salt, Pepper, Garlic

Directions: 

1- Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and garlic (both sides) heat grill and grill chicken until cooked through (I used a George Forman). 

2- While chicken cools, combine quinoa, veggies and basil.  Toss until well combined. 

3- Cut chicken into chunks and toss into salad. 

4- In a small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients.  Drizzle over salad and toss until well combined. Add salt and pepper to salad to taste.  Best if let salad sit in the fridge for hour before serving! 

Enjoy!

{Chipotle Turkey Meatballs}

What was one of your favorite childhood dishes?  Can you remember? I was always partial to my moms lasagna, my grandmothers meatballs, and my dads chocolate chip pancakes (does that count?). Have you ever taken one of those favorite childhood dish and tweaked it just a little bit?  Kinda like a makeover for food... adding in new ingredients until you have come up with an entirely new dish? 

Well, I know I have done that, and I am hear to tell you that tweaking a family recipe with new ingredients and flavors can be just the ticket to a delicious meal!  That was the case with these tangy turkey meatballs!  I took my favorite family meatball recipe and put a mexican spin on the dish!  The end result, a zippy turkey meatball full of spice!  Easy enough to make on a weeknight for dinner, and the leftovers make a great lunch!  

Chipotle Turkey Meatballs

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Makes 18 Meatballs 

Ingredients:

1 Lb Ground Turkey

3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Milk

1/2 Red Pepper Chopped 

1/2 White Onion Chopped 

1 extra large handful fresh cilantro chopped 

2 Tablespoons Favorite Chipotle Style Taco Seasoning (I used one with no MSG's) 

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper 

1 Cup Favorite Salsa + More for Serving 

Avocado Slices, Guacamole, and Sour Cream (for serving if desired)

Directions: 

1- Combined ground turkey, bread crumbs, cilantro, taco seasoning, pepper and milk in a large bowl.  Mix until ingredients are well incorporated, set aside. 

2- In a medium skillet coated with cooking spray sautee peppers and onions until tender.  Add peppers to turkey mixture and mix well so peppers and onions are evenly distributed.  

3- Pour your cup of salsa into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking pan and evenly distribute salsa along the bottom. 

4- Roll turkey mixture into meatballs and place evenly in 9x13 pan.  Bake meatballs in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until meatballs are lightly browned and cooked through.  Test doneness by cutting into a meatball with a fork.  

Note - If you are noticing that the meatballs are getting to dry on top but not done in the middle, cover with foil and continue to bake until cooked through. 

**Serve with extra salsa, avocado slices, guacamole or sour cream!  A simple tomato and avocado salad would go great with this dish for a complete meal!  

Enjoy! 

{Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting}

It's not very often that I post two sweet treats back to back!  But, with my mom's birthday being this past Sunday (Happy Birthday, Mom) I decided Sunday evening that I needed to bake her an extra special birthday cake!  

My mom absolutely loves lemon poppy seed anything!  Which means this cake was the perfect birthday cake for her!  The idea for this cake was sparked by a cake my family and I recently had on Father's Day!  Yes, that very cake was so good that I  had to figure out how to recreate that Father's Day cake at home! I will tell you the thought of recreating a cake at home somewhat terrified me, but then I remembered this muffin recipe... and the task at hand seemed a little less intense.  

I was delighted with how this cake turned out, and am absolutely smitten with the intense lemony flavor  of the cake and creamy lemon cream cheese frosting!  This cake is dense like a pound cake and makes a perfect after dinner treat!   Make this cake today, and serve it at your next grill out!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Cake: 

Dry: 

1 1/2 Cup Flour 

1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar 

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 

3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda 

Zest from One Lemon 

Wet: 

1/4 Cup Butter Melted 

2 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt (I used 2%) 

1 Egg 

3/4 Cup Almond Milk or Milk of Choice (I used Unsweetened)

Juice from 1/2 Lemon 

2 Teaspoons Vanilla 

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

2 Tablespoons Milk 

1 Brick Cream Cheese 

2 Cups Powdered Sugar 

Juice from 1/2 a Lemon 

1/4 Cup Butter 

1 Teaspoon Vanilla 

Directions: 

1- In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside. 

2- Grab a smaller bowl and lightly beat your egg.  Add Melted butter, greek yogurt, milk, lemon juice and vanilla and whisk until combined. 

3- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated, don't over mix. 

4- Grease a  8 Inch cake pan and pour batter into cake pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
5- While cake is baking whip butter and cream cheese together until smooth.  Slowly add in powdered sugar.  Finally mix in lemon juice and vanilla.  Set aside until cake is done.
6- Allow cake to fully cool.  Once cake is cool, remove cake from cake pan and ice. Slice and enjoy!