Campenelle Pasta Salad

Campanelle with toasted garlic and sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves - sliced very thin
   coarse salt and pepper
1 pound campanelle pasta
1/2 cup mild sausage cooked almost crispy - drain well!
1 cup fresh flat leaf Italian parsley - chopped coarse
3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup shaved parmesan

Toast the garlic in a frying pan until golden brown about 2 minutes.  Once toasted place garlic on paper towel and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Cook pasta according to the directions.  Rinse immediately in cold water until pasta is just barely warm.  Add all the other ingredients and season with pepper to taste.  Serve with crusty bread.

This is such a nice light pasta salad.  My family LOVED this!

Deep Breath...in ... out ... repeat

It has been a whole month since I posted last.  My bad.  I was too busy for words from the last post until the end of school on June 7th. (that takes of three weeks) I won't even go into all the stuff I had to do but it was a lot - Debbie can attest to this - AND my car died a horrible sad death (sniff).

And last week?  Well, I just needed a break from any and everything.  Not that I didn't do stuff last week, ... let's see made 320 pieces of candy with the YW, shopped for said candy making event, made 7 dozen seminary cupcakes, prepared my GD and  Sunbeam lessons, shopped for shorts for Connor, found soccer and volleyball camps for two kids, deep cleaned my room (dust bunnies on carpet are weird), shopped for my FIL birthday (85!), shopped for Jim for FD (intake manifold somethingorruther) and kept my kids from killing each other.  Oh, and I went to a liturgy: I nearly passed out from the incense.

So, I'm back in the groove.  I am thinking that next week will be easier or harder (let's make this difficult shall we?) since we will be on vacation.  Pics will be coming!

Cute Dress

I was trying to e-mail this to myself since the website won't let me Pin the pic.  The e-mail didn't work so now I am blogging about it so you can comment on it...

Sateen Sheath with Grosgrain Bow

Quick Cinnamon Rolls

I found a recipe for quick crescent roll cinnamon rolls.  I tried it didn't love it so I mixed it up and made it better.  This is much more healthy (relatively speaking) than the first recipe. (From Brown Eyed Baker)

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls - chill until use
1 stick butter - divided - 1/2 melted, 1/2 softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze

2 tablespoons butter melted
4 tablespoons heavy cream OR 3 tablespoons milk + 1 tablespoon melted butter (room temp)
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350'.  Melt 1/2 stick butter in a 9 x 13 glass pan - I did it in the microwave.  Spread it around so it covers the bottom of the pan. Roll out crescent rolls and pinch seams (hard!) to seal them.  Spread a thin layer of the 1/2 cube softened butter on both rectangles.  Combine brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon.  Spoon half on to each crescent rectangle.  Roll up carefully - mine came apart at the middle seam but I just kept rolling.  Cut each rolled up piece into 7 or 8 pieces.  Space evenly in 9 x 13 pan.  Bake for 20-22 minutes until the tops are nicely browned.  Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then drizzle glaze over them.  Serve warm.  They are actually pretty good at room temp too.

Lemon Lamb

I know there are those of you who don't eat lamb. I do. I love lamb. I have been craving lamb. I read about 30 recipes recently and came up with my own:

Lemon Lamb

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
5 cloves of garlic minced fine
2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 lamb chops or small steaks

Combine all ingredients but the lamb in a small bowl. Pour into a ziplock bag that is big enough to hold the lamb. Add lamb, close bag, rub the marinade all over the lamb. Put in fridge for 2+ hours turning and rubbing a few times.

Heat grill to medium high. Grill lamb for about 7 - 11 minutes each side - this will depend on how well done you like your meat. Serve over lemon zested basmati rice. (basmati rice with the lemon pulp strewn in before cooking)

Caramels

I tried my hand at Sea Salt & Pink Peppercorn Caramels this week.

While the recipe was easy it was time consuming to cook. May I suggest a nice long call to a beloved sister.

1 cup butter

1 16 oz package brown sugar (2 1/4 cups)

2 cups half-and-half or light cream

1 cup light colored corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp flaked sea salt

1/2 tsp pink peppercorns

Line an 9x9x2 with foil. Butter foil. Set aside

In a 3 quart heavy saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, half-and-half, and corn syrup, mix thoroughly. Cook over medium/high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to boil mixture (moderate, steady rate) stirring frequently until thermometer registers 248' (firm ball stage) about 40 to 50 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a steady boil.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla. Quickly pour mixture in pan. Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. (I didn't love the pepper so I would leave it off next time.)

When firm lift candy out of pan by foil. Use a buttered knife to cut into 1" squares. Wrap each piece in wax paper or plastic wrap. Store in cool place up to 2 weeks.

Salt and pink peppercorns do not photograph well.

Orange Chicken

A little Chinese tonight... via the crockpot

Orange Chicken (amended from Six Sisters recipe)

4 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2" strips

1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt (I put in white pepper as well.)

4 tbls Olive oil plus more if necessary to brown chicken

6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate

3 tbls brown sugar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

3 tsp ketchup

Green onions chopped (garnish)

Cut up chicken and dredge in flour. Heat a medium frying pan to medium/hot. Brown chicken on both sides but don't cook through. Mix; oj, brown sugar, vinegar and ketchup in a bowl. Place chicken in crockpot. Pour mixture over top and stir gently. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Serve over steamed rice.

It is very orangy and tangy. If you don't want it as such just cut down on the oj by 2 oz and add 2 oz of water.