Out of ideas for now

I really am out of cooking recipes. Sorry folks. Has anyone made any of these before? It would also be great if people commented on my posts! So, here's the QOM (Question of the Month): Has anybody used any of these recipes?

As Summer Winds Down...

9 Days...

It's hard to believe. It went a little too fast! And now, vegetables and fruits will start to be more expensive because they're going out of season :(. However, little produce stands can have low priced GOOD goods! If you live in the Molalla/Estacada/Colton/Mulino area of Oregon, here's the link to great produce stand!: https://plus.google.com/102056938721296591771/about?gl=us&hl=en

I'll post more later! Have a good week, and weekend! Enjoy the rest of Summer!

Start a Garden!

 

          It's Fun!

Your kids will love it, I guarantee it! My school has a garden, and it's a huge success. From your garden you'll get fresh produce, tomatoes that DON'T taste like water, healthy vegetables, and a way to get kids outside.

          It's CHEAP!

Better tasting vegetables, with a lower cost! In fact, all you need is good dirt, and seeds! Plus, you can make money off of it! I recommend buying worm castings! It works so well they call it black gold (Oil is also called that!)! It made the school pumpkins grow three feet wide, and that was in June!            
I really recommend starting a garden! You'll be glad you did!  

Good Back To School Lunch Items

   

   The Basics:

I think the best way to figure out what we kids want to eat, is to ask us!

Here's some of my favorite healthy snacks!

1. Baby Carrots
2. Tomatoes
3. Bell Peppers

Here's some main courses!
1. A grilled spinach/Lettuce chicken sandwich
2. Tomato Sandwiches
3. A pita bread taco

I'll post more things later!

9/11

          9/11: Rememberance

 

About 9/11: On September 11th 2013, the terrorist Osama Bin Laden instructed two suicide bombers to hijack two planes and fly them into the World Trade Center "Twin Towers". Nearly 3000 people died, not including the brave citizens, the firefighters, police, and military troops.

I'm posting this post to remember this day. Remember this day too, because this is "The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave!".

Scallops with Tomato-Butter Sauce

   Hi everybody! It's been awhile, but I'm back! Don't forget to comment with ideas for recipes, or cooking tips!

    ~Ingredients~

Two tablespoons of thyme.

One tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary.

1/2 half of a teaspoon of salt.

1/4 of a teaspoon of ground black pepper.

1/8 of a teaspoon of crushed and dried red pepper.

Two minced cloves of garlic.

Two tablespoons of olive oil.

Two tablespoons of lemon juice.

1 and a 1/2 pounds of Sea Scallops.

1/2 of a cup of fresh orange juice.

1/4 of a cup of softened butter.

3/4 of a cup of seeded and diced tomatoes (Or, if you grow your own tomatoes, you can cut cherry tomatoes into fourths and put them in!).

Two tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley.

Add salt or pepper to your liking.

You can also use fresh rosemary sprigs as a garnish.

~TIP!~

Fresh herbs can add flavor to the scallops while you grill them! Accompany the scallops with bread, pasta or rice if you serve them as appetizers too!

~ Preparation~

Combine the first eight ingredients in a medium bowl to create a marinade for the Scallops. Add the Scallops and toss well. Cover and marinate in a refrigerator for an hour.

Bring the orange juice to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Reduce the heat, and let it simmer, uncovered, ten minutes or until half the orange juice has evaporated. Gently stir in the butter, tomatoes, and the parsley. Cook until it is thoroughly heated, stirring it often, add salt and pepper to you liking. Set it aside, keeping it warm. 

Preheat the grill. Remove the Scallops from the marinade, discard the marinade also. Thread the Scallops onto  four 12" skewers. Coat the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium hot briquettes (350 degrees to 400 degrees) and place the skewers on the rack. Grill the Scallops covered (When cooking meat on a BBQ, covering it keeps the flavor in the meat.) for four to five minutes on each side, or until the Scallops are opaque. Remove the Scallops from the skewers. Serve with sauce, if you want. Garnish with rosemary sprigs if you desire.

An age old argument: Are tomatoes vegetables or fruits?

Well, here it is again. Summer, the time of fruits and vegetables. But it also brings an argument; are tomatoes veggies or fruits? Please scroll to the top of the page, and take the time to vote! See you soon!

Grilled chicken and spinach salad

     I recommend you make this with fresh spinach, but if you have the misfortune to not have any, head to a local grocery store! Where I live, we only have a Bi-Mart and a Safeway, so we're a little short on grocery stores! This salad brings in some bacon and chicken, but also some onions, mushrooms, and spinach.

 ~Ingredients~

Two boneless, and skinless chicken breasts (I prefer tenders myself.) torn, and cut into strips

Five cups of torn spinach

One cup of sliced mushrooms

1/2 a cup of thinly sliced red onion wedges

Four slices of bacon

One cup of your favorite salad dressing

~Preparation~

Toss everything except the dressing in a bowl. Now, pour the dressing on. Simple indeed.

Pesto Pasta Salad

  

  Pesto= Delicious
Pasta= Delicious
Pesto+Pasta= |_|

~Ingredients~

One package of five sausages

One pound of Penne pasta

One tablespoon of butter/margarine

Two cloves of peeled garlic

Two cups of fresh basil leaves

1/2 of a cup of fresh parsley leaves

Two tablespoons of pine nuts

1/2 half of a cup of olive oil

1/4 of a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 of a teaspoon of black pepper

Two cups of seeded and diced Roma tomatoes

One small chopped green bell pepper

One cup (4 ounces) cubed mozzarella cheese

Red leaf lettuce for garnish (optional)

~ Preparation~

Cook sausage in a large skillet or on grill until browned; let it cool. Cut sausage in half, lengthwise; cut each half into 1/4 inch slices and set them aside. Cook the Penne according to package directions; drain. Toss in large bowl with butter to prevent sticking.

To prepare pesto sauce, place garlic cloves into a food processor /blender and process until it's smooth. Add basil and parsley, and process them until they are finely chopped. Add pine nuts; again process until they're finely chopped. Slowly add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the Parmesan cheese and black pepper; process until it's well blended, scraping it down the side of the bowl as needed. To put together this culinary awesomeness, toss sausage, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, and mozzarella cheese with Penne. Gradually stir in pesto until salad us moist, but not saturated. Serve salad on a lettuce lined platter, if desired. Enjoy! The leftovers (if any) can be refrigerated! 

Healthy Carrot Salad

I've never actually tried this one. It sounds really good though! Post a comment and tell me how it is!

 ~Ingredients~

 Four cups of shredded carrots

1/4 of a cup of raisins

1/4 of a cup of chopped walnuts

1/2 of a cup of orange juice

1/4 of a cup of plain yogurt (Greek yogurt is healthier, and tastes better, so I'd use it)

One tablespoon of vegetable oil

3/4 of a teaspoon of seasoned salt

1/2 of a teaspoon of lemon pepper

 ~Preparation~

In a medium sized bowl, combine carrots, raisins, and walnuts. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; but mix well. Add to carrot mixture; mix lightly to coat.

Enjoy! Remember to tell me how it is! 

Awesome Artichoke Dip

 This is a really good recipe for artichoke dip, hot or cold. I recommend serving this in a round piece of hollow bread, or two casserole dishes. I really think everyone in your family will love it, not just the kids!

  ~Ingredients~

 One envelope of onion soup mix
One can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts (yum...) drained and chopped
One cup of Mayonnaise
One container (8 ounces) of sour cream
One cup shredded Swiss cheese (Replace with 1/4 Parmesan cheese if you are making the dip cold) /Mozzarella cheese

 ~Preparation~

(Skip all of the oven process if you are preparing it cold)

Preheat oven to 325 Fahrenheit. In a one quart casserole dish, mix in all ingredients. 

Bake uncovered for thirty minutes, or until it is heated all the way through.

Serve to everyone! I recommend making two batches! Enjoy! 

Meet Cameron, a not-so amateur cook

    ...Meet Cameron, a not so amateur cook...

 Hi, my name is Cameron Wilson. I'm 11, and soon to be in 6th grade in September. I LOVE vegetables, and am shocked at how many kids don't eat them. I mean, seriously, vegetables are awesome! But, I'm even more shocked at how it can go so far that adults hide them in dessert! I've decided to write a blog about good recipes with vegetables in them, and answer any questions about cooking! One favor that I ask of you though; tell your friends about this blog. Please. If you have questions, email me at Larrythetomatoe@gmail.com!