BLT Salad with a Creamy Lemon Chive Dressing

Summertime means long days at the beach, kids home from school, and meals made from fresh ingredients that are most likely cooked on the grill.  

One of my favorite things to do in the Summer is host our friends and family for a cookout (or BBQ if you're from down south)! Nothing says Summer more than gathering around the fire pit, hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, and a drink to cool you off after a long day in the sun!

One of my favorite new recipes is this amazing Creamy Lemon Chive Dressing.  We stopped buying bottled dressings years ago and the recipe goes amazing with my version of a BLT salad!

I've added a special twist with Young Living's Lemon Vitality Essential Oil.  It really adds a wonderful depth and brightness of flavor to the dressing!*  

Check out these facts about Lemon Essential Oil

• Can be substituted in any recipe that calls for lemon juice, zest, or extract.
• Adds a zesty flavor with just 1-2 drops!
• Contains the naturally occurring constituent d-limonene.
• Aids in digestion.

A powerful punch in such a small bottle! 

*Be sure to store your dressing in a glass jar or bottle.

yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Weeknight Dishprint recipe

BLT Salad with a Creamy Lemon Chive Dressing

Ready to kick bottled salad dressing to the curb? Give this Creamy Lemon Chive Dressing a whirl for your next weekend BBQ. This twist on the typical BLT is sure to please at any outdoor gathering!

INGREDIENTS:

BLT Salad

• 6-8 slices bacon, cooked
• 1 head lettuce, chopped
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges or 1 container of cherry tomatoes
• 1 baguette, sliced and toasted

Dressing

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk, optional
• 2-4 drops Lemon Vitality Essential Oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. On a platter, arrange lettuce, tomatoes, bread slices, and bacon.
2. In a small glass bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Adding milk to desired consistency. Season to taste, then drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with additional chopped fresh chives and serve.

http://www.weeknight-dish.com/2017/04/blt-salad-with-creamy-lemon-chive.html

2017

Created using The Recipes Generator

Want more recipes?

Check out these amazing recipes for your next BBQ and join me tonight @ 9pm EST for another live event with other top bloggers!  

We'll be sharing our favorite cookout recipes with Young Living Essential Oils!

I hope to see you there!

Sparkling Lavender Lemonade  |  Fruit Kabobs with Citrus Dip

Grilled Chicken with Citrus + Ginger Marinade  |  Lime Raspberry Popsicles

Cowboy Caviar with lime oil dressing  |  Tuscan Pasta Salad

Orange Julius  |  BLT Salad with Creamy Lemon Chive Dressing

Citronella candles

Keep your cookout annoyance free with this amazing recipe!

Citronella Candles from Practically Functional

Chocolate Toffee Matzo "Crack"

Though, I am not Jewish, Matzo crackers have always been a staple in my home every Passover/Easter season. There is something about the dry, unsalted cracker that I absolutely love! Though they come in a lightly salted version, my husband thinks I'm nuts because I get the whole-wheat, unsalted version and will snack on them before bedtime. Nommmm...

I must admit, I had never even considered turning the crackers into a dessert until I was scouring Pinterest and came across a similar recipe.  Apparently, Matzo "Crack" is a thing...how did I not know this?!! I've had the version made with graham crackers, but Matzo seems genius to me!

Thin, crisp crackers, coated in caramel toffee and dark chocolate...yes, please!  

Author: Weeknight Dishprint recipe

Chocolate Toffee Matzo Crack

prep time: cook time: total time:

A simply sweet dessert perfect for your family's Passover Seder!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 matzo crackers (unsalted)
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1-12 oz. bag chocolate chips
• 1/2-1 cup pecans, chopped
• sea salt, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or lightly greased aluminum foil. Cover baking sheet with matzos, breaking them apart, if necessary.
2. Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once boiling, continue to cook and stir for about 10-12 minutes or until mixture reaches 305 degrees.
3. Carefully pour hot sugar mixture over top the crackers, spreading to cover. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and place in over for 2-4 minutes, until chocolate gets shiny and slightly melts. Remove from oven and spread over top. Sprinkle with sea salt and chopped pecans.

http://www.weeknight-dish.com/2017/04/chocolate-toffee-matzo-crack.html

2017

Created using The Recipes Generator

Vanilla Almond Cake with Vanilla Buttercream & Raspberry Filling

This past weekend was my mom's birthday! Since they moved about an hour away and with both girls in school, we don't get to see them as frequently as we would like, so we chose to host her and my dad for dinner and cake Saturday evening!  It was a fun evening chatting about life, playing with the kids, and surprising them with my husband's first tattoo (haha, they laughed...*whew*)!

I love baking cakes. Though I am not a skilled in any way at decorating cakes, I really enjoy whipping up the batter, slathering it all in frosting, and adding a few extra touches to make it special!

I came upon this recipe in America's Test Kitchen: TV Show Cookbook and it seemed like a simple white cake recipe (my favorite!) that could easily be customized for any occasion!

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It's moist, buttery, and simply sweet!

yield: 10-12 servingsAuthor: Weeknight Dish adapted from America's Test Kitchenprint recipe

Vanilla Almond Cake with Vanilla Buttercream & Raspberry Filling

prep time: 15 minutes cook time: 30-35 minutes total time:45-50 minutes

A super moist & buttery cake that is sure to please everyone at the party! Whip this recipe up for your next celebration and customize it with your favorite filling to really impress your guests. It's fool-proof and sure to be your go-to cake recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

CAKE

• 2 1/4 cup cake flour, plus extra for pans
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tsps. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 12 Tbsps. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened

FROSTING & FILLING

• 16 Tbsps. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

INSTRUCTIONS:

FOR THE CAKE:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-or-9 inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the milk, egg whites, and both extracts together in a small bowl.
2. In a stand mixer, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium-low and beat the butter into the flour mixture, one piece at a time, about 30 seconds. Continue to beat the mixture until it resembles moist crumbs, about 1 minute.
3. Beat in all but 1/2 cup of the milk mixture, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth, light, and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly beat in the remaining 1/2 cup milk mixture until the batter looks slightly curdled, about 15 seconds.
4. Give the batter a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is thoroughly combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and lightly tap the pans against the countertop two or three times to settle the batter. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 30-35 minutes.
5. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cakes, then flip them out onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment paper, flip the cakes right side up, and cool completely before frosting, about 2 hours.

FOR THE FROSTING:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, milk, and salt on low speed until the sugar is moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium high and beat, stopping twice to scrape down the bowl, until creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes.
2. Line the edges of a cake platter with strips of parchment to keep the platter clean while you assemble the cake. Place one cake layer on the platter. Spread 1/2 cup of frosting over the top of the cake then carefully spread the jam on top, then cover with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Remove the parchment strips from the platter before serving.

http://www.weeknight-dish.com/2017/03/vanilla-almond-cake.html

2017

Created using The Recipes Generator

What is your favorite type of cake?

The Best Blueberry Muffins...Ever!!

I have to admit...this recipe is not up there in the "healthy" category.

But delicious? Oh yeah.

Soft Pretzel Bites with Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce

Make Your Own Self-Rising Flour

Who likes saving money and space? I certainly do.  Whenever I see a recipe with self-rising flour, I always know I can make my own. 1. Because I don't have many recipes that require it and 2. It's so easy!  It's not worth it for me to buy and store another bag of flour!

Chicken Cheesesteak Mini Meatball Sliders | Photo Recipe

French Onion Soup

Whenever my husband and I are visiting NYC, we have to stop at the restaurant, La Bonne Soupe and have a bowl of their French Onion Soup.  Or as they call it, Onion Soup!  It is the most comforting bowl of deliciousness after a long day of walking through the busy streets of the city!

My mother in-law has been going to this restaurant since the 70's and says nothing about it has changed!  There is still only about 2 inches between each table.  The waiter has to pull the table away from the wall so the customer can squeeze in between the tables to sit down!  It's truly what I imagine most restaurants to be like in the city.  Small, a bit cramped, noisy, and the most delicious food!

Cranberry Apple Crisp

I've been on a real baking streak this week!  Now that the holidays are in full swing, I am constantly pulling out my mixer and whipping up some cookies or this Gingerbread Cake.  But this week, I was in the mood for something warm and comforting.

An apple cranberry crisp was just what I was craving!

Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake

Oh boy!  Have I got a treat for ya'll today!  I have already made this cake twice since the beginning of November and it has been a hit each time! Don't know if I call that an addiction, but...

Handmade Holiday: Homemade Peppermint Patties

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Now that the holiday season is upon us, it's great to find recipes that are not only delicious, but easy to wrap up and give as gifts!

This Hot Cocoa recipe is perfect for teachers, neighbors, friends, and family!  I used to make a batch to give my grandfathers every year for Christmas...one of my favorite memories!

Lemon, Rosemary, & Sage Salt Rub

Thanksgiving is next week and while each year I try to find a new recipe to try, one thing I do every year is brine my turkey.  You know, the whole dunk the bird in a bucket of salty water, trick.  It gets the turkey perfectly seasoned, juicy, and delicious!

Pan-Roasted Corn

I recently came across this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, My Blessed Life, and it has seriously changed the way I look at corn!  I've always loved the occasional corn on the cob slathered with butter and sprinkled with salt during the summertime, but didn't really do much else with plain frozen corn besides nuke it in the microwave.

This recipe has changed all that!

This recipe adds some richness, depth, and a little heat to those juicy little kernels and makes an absolute melt-in-your mouth side dish!

yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Weeknight Dishprint recipe

Pan Roasted Corn

prep time: cook time: total time:

A delicious side dish that is going to change your mind about frozen corn! Adapted from myblessedlife.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups corn, fresh or frozen
• pinch ground cayenne pepper
• salt & pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat a large saute or cast-iron skillet to medium heat. Add butter and melt.
2. Once melted, add onions. Cook until softened and add garlic.
3. Cook 1-2 minutes, then add corn.
4. Stirring occasionally, cook until pan is "dry" and corn is slightly charred.
5. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
6. Serve immediately.

http://www.weeknight-dish.com/2012/05/pan-roasted-corn.html

2012

Created using The Recipes Generator

What's your favorite side dish?

Thanks for reading!

Down to business with biscuits

This biscuit recipe has become my go-to recipe, it seems, for about the past 3 weeks.  I recently picked up the book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week, by Mary Ostyn.  She is a mom, blogger, penny-pincher, cook...you name it, she can do it!  She and her husband have 10 children (biological and adopted) so saving money is a priority.  I'm all for good-quality, homemade food on a budget.  We roughly spend $80/week on groceries so having quick, go-to recipes with staple food items is a must!

For meals, I like to prepare a main dish, vegetable/salad, and a bread.  Though this doesn't always work for every meal, I feel like my meals are more balanced when I provide all three.  And while those tubed-shaped biscuits may be easy and extremely fun (yet dangerous) to open, I prefer to get my hands a bit messy and spend the few extra minutes whipping up my own biscuits.  And trust me, the "flaky, peelable layers" in a tube will never be as flaky and buttery as these!

Still want those tube-shaped biscuits?



This recipe is for roughly 16 biscuits.  I cut it in 1/2 when I make them to save time and end up with about 7-8 BIG biscuits.

4 cups AP flour
2 Tbsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold butter, cubed 
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk together the dry ingredients.  Cut in the cold butter until evenly distributed.  Add milk gradually just until dough pulls away from the bowl. (May not use all of milk...add slowly).  Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead several times until smooth.  Pat or roll into 1-inch thickness.  Cut biscuits and place on an ungreased baking sheet or in an ungreased baking pan.  Bake until brown 13-15 minutes.

Cinnamon Glazed Scones

I always thought of scones as dry, triangle-shaped biscuits that have little-to-no flavor aside from the chocolate chips, cranberries, or raisins, etc that are most commonly mixed into the batter.  But, when I came across this recipe, I had to give it a try.  Boy, was I glad I did!  These babies are so good, I let out one of those sighs that only a pastry can produce.  These scrumptious 3-sided delights are melt-in-your-mouth good. (They can also "expand" your waistline, so beware!)  Move over donuts, strudels, and danishes...scones are making a comeback!

(wiping drool off of the keyboard...)

Scones:
2 cups AP flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup butter (I have used a few tablespoons less, and the dough turned out fine)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, seperated
3 Tbsp. honey
1/3 buttermilk (or 1/3 cup milk + 1/2 tsp. lemon juice mixed together and allowed to sit for 2-3 mins)

Crumb topping (per scone)-I usually just sprinkle the ingredients over the scones until I am happy:
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze (mix all ingredients together):
1 cup powdered sugar
1-3 tsp. milk (until desired consistency)
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Cut in the butter, (using a fork or a pastry blender-another great tool), until crumbly.  Seperate the egg white (set aside) and yolk.  In a seperate bowl, mix the yolk, honey, and buttermilk.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Form the dough into a ball, roll out to 1/2" thickness and cut into 8 triangles *(see below)*
Transfer to a greased baking sheet.  Whisk the egg white and brush on top of scones.  Sprinkle with topping.

Bake 10-12 minutes and drizzle with glaze immediately after removing from oven.
Try to not eat all of them at once!

*I place the dough on the greased baking sheet before rolling and cutting into triangles.  Eliminates transferring the dough, which can be a bit sticky.  Rolling can be a bit of a challenge, but I find it easier than having to move the triangles individually.

Mini Pancake Bites

I made these scrumptious little bites this morning in an attempt to provide a healthier, tummy-filling breakfast for my girls other than cereal!  It's hard to find something quick and easy, plus kid-friendly!  Now that my girls are school-age, breakfast-time is frequently rushed and often not that healthy.

This post contains affiliate links,  Please read my disclaimer statement.

Not that I don't like the occasional bowl of Cheerios, but I am not always in the mood to whip up pancakes during the week and stand over a griddle drooling while my girls scarf down their pancakes.

So today I whipped up my favorite pancake recipe, scooped them into my mini muffin tin, and made enough mini pancakes to last us a few days!  If you don't feel like making the batter from scratch you can totally use your favorite pre-boxed mix. Throw in a few blueberries and you have a healthy breakfast for on-the-go!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes in a greased, mini muffin tin just until the centers are baked through.

What's your favorite breakfast for on-the-go?!

Thanks for reading!

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Buttery Bread Machine Rolls

 Just looking at these make my mouth water...

Not sure if everyone has a bread machine (don't have to have one) but it does make the mixing so much easier!
These are the best rolls ever...ENJOY!

1 cup warm millk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
4 cups flour (I use 2 cups whole wheat, 2 cups bread flour)
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

Add ingredients in order recommended for your machine (i.e, my machine requires liquid ingredients first, then the dry...VERY important to follow the recommendation). Run the DOUGH cycle. When complete, roll out dough and divide into 20-24 portions and shape into balls. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and rise for 15 mins. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 13-16 mins. Seperate rolls immediately to serve or cool on cooling rack.

I sometimes add a bit of molasses to the mix as well to add a nice auburn color and depth of flavor! These freeze really well and are great popped in the microwave for about 45 secs!
Thanks http://www.moneysavingmom.com/!

French Omelette

My family Sunday afternoons are not like most Sunday afternoons around the United States.  Am I or my husband sitting around in our sweatpants watching football, drinking beer, eating chili, and smashing corn chips with cheese into our mouths?  No. Well, we might be in our sweatpants, but football is not the only thing on the tv.  And I am for sure not "smashing" anything into my mouth. 
Most likely you will find us watching "The Test Kitchen" on MPT/PBS.  We're dorks, I know.  But before you judge, it is the best show!!  This week they tested omelette pans and the one in a good price range ($20) was the one I currently own!  Then of course, they showed how to make an omelette like the professionals (or I should say, the professional, Julia Child). 
This morning, I was not in the mood for the normal cereal or granola and raisins on yogurt.  So, I decided to give the omelette a whirl.  I will try my best to describe how to make one, because it all happens to quickly, there was no time for pictures (except afterwards).

What you will need:
2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. butter
fillings-I used pre-cooked/crumbled turkey sausage and white cheddar cheese

Make sure your fillings are ready to go.  ie: cheese grated, veggies/meat cooked, etc.

Cut the Tbsp butter in half setting one half aside.  Cut the other into small cubes and place in the freezer (very important).
Set the omelette pan on burner over medium high heat.  Beat the eggs and yolk 80 strokes (sounds crazy, but works).  Place other half (unfrozen) butter in pan, turn heat down to medium low and once butter no longer looks foamy (3 seconds), pour eggs into pan and add the frozen butter.  Lightly scramble the eggs with fork.  Once the eggs look slightly set, add toppings and cover the pan with lid.  Let cook for 2-3 minutes depending on how done you like your eggs.  Uncover and raise heat to medium high for 1 minute.

Now, here is the tricky part-folding the omelette.  On the show, they suggested placing a paper towel folded in half on your plate.  Place the omelette circle on to the plate, using the towel to help fold. 
That didn't really work for me, so I just used a spatula to help fold it into thirds right in the pan, then lifting to the plate.  Not exactly the French way, but it all turned out the same!

You can see a little sausage sticking out!!

Mmmmm, light and fluffy on the inside!

Buon Appetite!

The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls will quickly become a staple at your breakfast table. Whether it's a ladies' brunch, family gathering, or Christmas morning treat, these rolls are sure to please!

This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclaimer statement.

They look almost as yummy before they are baked!  I love the cinnamon-brown sugar swirl!

These rolls coated in a sweet, slightly thick icing will just melt in your mouth.  I like to whip up the dough in my bread machine which makes the mixing and rising steps a snap.  I can just set it and go while it works it's magic!

Wanna kick your icing up a notch?  Just 2-3 drops is all it's need to be the most delicious icing you will ever eat.  Sweet, orangey...#drool!

yield: 15-18 rollsAuthor: Weeknight Dishprint recipe

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

prep time: cook time: total time:

These ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls will quickly become a staple at your breakfast table. Whether it's a ladies' brunch, family gathering, or Christmas morning treat, these rolls are sure to please!
Adapted from www.moneysavingmom.com

INGREDIENTS:

Dough (place in your machine per instruction manual)

• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. milk, warm but not scalding
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten plus 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 cups flour plus more for mixing (I like 2 cups bread flour and 2 cups whole wheat)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. yeast

Filling

• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Icing

• 1 tsp. milk
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 4 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2-3 drops Orange Vitality Essential Oil, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients in your bread machine according to your specific machine's instructions.
2. Select "Dough" cycle. Add more flour, as needed until dough is no longer sticky.
3. Remove dough once finished and place on a well-floured countertop. Roll dough into large rectangle.
4. For filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the melted butter onto the rolled out dough then sprinkle with sugar mixture.
5. Tightly roll up the dough so the roll is long and skinny. Using dental floss or sharp knife, slice rolls into 1" thick slices and place in a lightly greased baking dish.
6. Bake rolls at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.
7. While rolls are baking, combine icing ingredients in small bowl with hand mixer. Spread on rolls immediately after removing from the oven. Serve warm.

2016

Created using The Recipes Generator

You can also freeze the uncooked rolls on a sheet pan for 10 minutes, then place in a ziploc bag to be baked at a later date.  Just bring rolls to room temperature before baking!

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Thanks for reading!