Tomato Basil & Mozzarella Bites

I have a little confession. I kinda just dread going grocery shopping. I haven't always felt this way, but the last year or so I just don't wanna go darn it. These feelings of disdain developed after a few embarrassing trips while taking a certain unruly toddler of mine. Who refuses to sit in the cart, loves running down isle 13, sticks everything in his mouth and thinks a tomato is a ball that must be launched across the produce section. (there was a little mess.)

It's either shop with him or at 830pm after bedtime when the hubby is home when all I really want to do is watch a show in my sweats with a cookie. (love cookies and milk). So I just go for the battle and bring all sorts of cavity creating treats to distract him while I rush through. One thing that has helped me enjoy my time  at the grocer, is searching in the unfamiliar areas. Like the Asian isle and trying to figure out what is exactly in that sauce. Or the growing refrigerated organic smoothie section.

The other day while perusing the gourmet cheese section in Trader Joes (<3)  I notice little gem. MARINATE MOZZARELLA. One look at it and I knew I was in love. I love mozzarella cheese anyway..but marinated with all sorts of zingy tastiness and spices?! Oh heaven have mercy.  I decided to try it out in a simple classic appetizer with tomato and fresh basil. And it was just perfect. Sometimes those dreaded grocery trips are worth it.

To make this simple dish, pluck off a few leaves of fresh basil from your basil plant. Because we all have beautiful lush herb gardens in March. Or just buy a plant and use up all the leaves. I still have yet to find a better deal on a full basil plant than from Trader Joes. I am lucky enough to live just a few blocks away from one. I wish they were everywhere!! Any other Trader Joe lovers out there?

Wash your leaves, slice up your fancy cheese, and layer with half of a cherry tomato. Secure with a tooth pick and set on a plate drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette. 

This is a great tangy twist on classic appetizer. See all the little spices jazzin up the cheese? Now of course my next adventure is going to be marinating my own mozzarella. If any of you have a good recipe send it my way! ohsodelicioso@gmail.com

 Um.. that plate didn't last long. I recommend making a PLATTER of these.

As always we love seeing your recipes and cooking going on at home! Mention us on instagram @ohsodelicioso if you've cook a meal! Show us your mad chef skills!

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Sweet Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Sweet Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

I first ate this tasty little snack at a craft night.  My friend made it and I couldn't help but to keep going back for seconds.  I love making this in the cooler months for a few reasons.  The first is that it is a little bit of freshness and lightness amongst all the baking and feasts we eat in the winter.  The second is the Mission brand tortilla chips releases a limited edition cinnamon sugar tortilla chip that pairs PERFECTLY with this salsa!  I'll talk a bit more about the chips in a second...

 This salsa is not what you are thinking.  It is sweet, full of fruit, with a light tasty glaze.  Not only is this yummy with cinnamon sugar chips it would be great atop waffles, or atop a sugar cookie spread with cream cheese frosting.

I've served this at numerous parties and functions and I ALWAYS get asked for the recipe over and over again.  If you know how to chop a few apples, you can pull this recipe off like a pro.

Sweet Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Ingredients

2 golden delicious apples, chopped pretty small

1 pint strawberries, cut into small pieces

2 kiwi, cut into small pieces

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blackberries

1 TBSP seedless raspberry jam

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 TBSP white sugar

Cinnamon Sugar Chips

Directions

I like to start with the glaze. In a medium bowl I combine the jam and sugars. Stir until smooth.

Chop all fruit and place in the bowl with your glaze. After all fruits are added gently fold the fruit into the glaze until it coats everything.

Serve with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips or Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. If you are craving the cinnamon tortilla chips and they are no longer available on the shelves - make your own! It's a cinch! Check out the recipe for your standard tortilla chips HERE, and then instead of adding salt, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

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Taco Dip

I was recently introduced to this dip at a girls night.  My friend Tiffany brought it and I could not get enough.  It was such a nice change that accompanied her veggie tray.  I'm so bored of the usual ranch dip that comes with a veggie tray.  Then - a few days later she brought it again to a holiday party and I again loaded up my plate with veggies that this awesome dip.

Not only is this dip awesome with veggies, but I dipped a few tortilla chips in it too - and it was divine. I want you to meet my avocado condiment bowl.  Isn't he cute?  I got this little guy and the coordinating butter knife for my wedding years and years ago.  I always forget to use it!  I thought that this dip was perfect for pulling it out of the cupboard.

Nom Nom Nom

 I could dunk veggies and chips and bread and crackers in this stuff all day long.  (Do you like my New Years nails?  I may or may not have a slight nail polish obsession.  This is Ciate Headliner with Nicole Kardashian Kolors Rainbow In The S-kyllie.)

This dip is super easy to whip together.  That's kind of my theme, huh?  Super easy, minimal ingredients, BIG flavor.  I love a recipe that is simple with amazing results, and this is no exception.

What's your favorite part of a veggie tray?  Lately I've been really in to the celery...which is weird...cause I've never been a big celery fan.  Regardless of your fav veggie - this dip will make it one thousand times yummier!  Promise.

Taco Dip

Taco Dip

Ingredients

1/2 cup light mayo

2/3 c plain non-fat greek yogurt

1 TBSP ranch dressing mix

1 TBSP taco seasoning

Directions

Combine all ingredients and stir until incorporated. Serve with veggies, chips, or bread. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

EVERYyear I roast pumpkin seeds. I've tried a few different recipes and landed on my very favorite. the bad news is its not the healthiest of pumpkin seed roasting recipes, but it is surrrre flavorful. 

So, just incase you want less fat I'll provide you with a healthy recipe. 

Everybody happy!? 

to start- separate seeds from pulp.
Wash.

Let Dry.

Now. If you are me. you take 1.5 cups of clean dry pumpkin seeds and coat them with 2T of melted butter.

If you choose a different method...

 Lay them on a cookie sheet- single layer. Spray with cooking spray. 

and all together we sprinkle with sea salt and seasoning salt! yumo. 

 Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool completely.

Jack ate his with lunch. Healthier than chips, even with a little butta

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups washed and dried pumpkin seeds

2 T melted butter tossed with pumpkin seeds or

Instructions

spread on baking sheet in single layer and spray with cooking spray

sprinkle with sea salt and your favorite seasoning salts

bake 350 for 15 minutes until golden brown

let cool, and eat!

seeds will keep in an air tight container for 1 week.

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Reese's Pieces Chex Mix

I'll go out on a limb here and say that fall is arguably most people's favorite season. The crisp air, the cozy sweaters and warm boots, football season with the tailgating parties, and the beginning of the holidays! What's not to love? 

I'll tell you what is to love....

this.

 I made this gooey chex mix for a Christmas party with cute little red and green chocolate M&Ms, and coconut, and it was incredibly addicting. We could not stop eating the stuff.

 Well a couple weeks ago, we were headed to some of our dear friends from college's house to watch our alma mater's first game of the season (Go Cougs!). I wanted to bring something to welcome in the fall football season with a bang, and immediately thought of this chex mix. Perfect for sitting and snacking and chatting while the boys watch some Cougs destroy some lesser team.

Did I just say that?

 I'd been craving Reese's Pieces for several days at this point (I'm surprised I lasted that long), and realized how fall-ish their color scheme is, so M&M's were out and Reese's Pieces were in!

I made a few other adjustments (took away coconut, added pretzels), and again, we were all completely hooked. I made another chex mix (cinnamon sugar with white chocolate chips), but this one took the cake, hands down. My girlfriend texted me the next day and said she had taken the leftovers I left with her to her family and they were begging for the recipe.

(Why thank you, so sweet! Well OK, if you insist....)

I made it again today to pass out to some neighbors, and I quote:

"Man, I just can't stop eating this!"

4 c Corn Chex cereal
3 c Golden Grahams cereal
2 c pretzels
1/2 c slivered almonds
3/4 c butter
1 c sugar
1 c light corn syrup
1-2 c Reese's Pieces

Mix cereals, pretzels and almonds in large bowl. Melt butter in heavy saucepan, add sugar and corn syrup. Stir continuously and boil for 2 1/2 minutes. Do not boil longer, or it will harden too much when cooled. Pour sugar mixture over cereal mixture, stir to coat. When chex mix has mostly cooled to warm, add Reese's Pieces. Serve immediately or package up to give away. If it hardens too much, warm for 10-20 seconds in microwave until soft.

Enjoy and Happy Fall! 

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Hummus

The first time Steve and I tried hummus was in Vegas 3 years ago at a California Pizza Kitchen. I had heard about it somewhere, so I convinced him to go for it with me. It came with this tomato mixture on top and warm triangles of pita bread. We both instantly fell in love.

And it was healthy! Double fist pump!

 So after some searching online, I found out a little more about hummus, and the CPK recipe. It's made with white or garbanzo beans, tahini paste, oil, and spices. What is tahini paste you ask? It's like peanut butter for sesame seeds. It's bitter, so I wouldn't slather it on your next sandwich...

Last week the husband came home with a brand new Blendtec. This thing is ridiculous..it blends iPhones, hockey pucks, turns sugar into powdered sugar, ice cream, even bread dough.

So I figured it could make me some hummus, and it was definitely creamier than the other times I've made this recipe!

This seriously takes 5 minutes to put together.

2 T EVOO

1/8 c lemon juice

3/4 T soy sauce

3/4 t salt

3/4 t cumin

1/8 t corriander

1/8 t cayenne

1/4 c tahini paste (this can be difficult to find, I get mine at Sprouts next to the peanut butter)

5 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press

1 can cannellini or great northern beans, drained

Checca topping:

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 T garlic, minced

1/2 t coarse salt

1 T EVOO

basil

Throw everything (except for the Checca ingredients) in your Blendtec (or food processor/blender) in the order listed. For the Blendtec, run the 'sauce' function. I ran it twice to get it like I wanted.

 Make your checca by mixing ingredients in a small bowl, and place on top of the hummus. Hummus can be served in about a million different ways. It's generally done as a dip, with fresh pita bread, or pita chips. I also like it with veggies, especially red bell peppers. You could even put some on the inside of a meatless wrap or pita pocket for a tasty source of protein.

Excuse the non-manicured nails. This is one of my most favoritest colors though, it's more orangey-red in person, it's Essie's Olé Caliente.

Ooooh, spicy.

Back to the hummus. 

My husband seriously craves this stuff, it's sodang good.

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Pico II; and thoughts about tomatoes

I really love pico. pure un-adulterated PICO. not no "pico with peppers and cumin and every other add in....thats SALSA. I want Pico pure. I love every component in it. tomatoes, cilantro, onion, lime and its fresh taste having me craving it like, about, uh, once a week. (maybe more maybe less)

When I make it I really care about the tomatoes. The only thing I make sure I get is good ripe tomatoes. 

Some people say you can only use roma tomatoes for picos. Roma's have less juice to them. which is nice. but I don't feel like roams have a garden fresh taste to them. I hardly ever even find them ripe in the store. It seems like they are too quickly produced for the masses. They are cheap but not tasty. {most of the time} 

I mean if I'm making a TON of salsa or pico I half it. I'll get some of the cheap tomatoes and some of the nice, red, tender-lovin tomatoes. but when its for my meal I'd rather get 2 nice red tomatoes, or a little plastic tub of the ripe cherry tomatoes than 5 hardly red tomatoes. All for the same price. 

It makes a different with kids, at least with my kids. When I make good salsa they eat it and eat it all. when I make "eh salsa" they eat it "eh?"  I say give them rich in color, full of flavor veggies....

With that being said- I'm NOT saying you have to buy organic to get the rich flavorful veggies. get to know your veggies, seasons and stores. For instance, with "out of season" tomatoes I usually buy mine at costco. (or in the clear plastic holders at grocery store) Costco has such good campari tomatoes. 

good price and stay in my fridge for over a week just fine. 

I love using the Campari for a quick pico. 

For lunch the other day I made one of my favorite versions of pico. {a milder version of the real pico.} melted cheese on flour tortillas and spooned out some sour cream. 

Pico

Ingredients

8 Campari tomatoes

2 green-3 green onions (this is why its more mild.... mild onions)

handful of cilantro

1 Tbs lime juice

1t (give or take) Sea Salt

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