Monthly Archives: September 2010

by kkregel | September 7, 2010 · 8:19 am

Easy Pesto Salad

Ever since “secret ingredient: basil” a few weeks ago, I’ve been on a serious basil kick…mostly to the tune of this super easy pesto salad since it also uses up my garden tomatoes too. Now homemade pesto is not some revolutionary new dish but it’s just so tasty when the basil is fresh. Plus, it works great as a main dish with chicken or a crowd-pleasing BBQ/tailgate side dish and can easily be frozen for a little taste of summer come winter.

The pesto purists out there will probably scoff, but I prefer to use almonds instead of pine nuts in my pesto because of their health benefits and the fact that the leftovers can be used in more dishes. Also, when I make this I don’t actually measure the ingredients, so take these estimations as a starting point for creating pesto to your taste. I prefer my pesto to not be too oily but you can make it just the way you like it!

Easy Pesto Salad
2 C fresh basil
1/4 C (+) slivered almonds
1/4C (+) parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4C (+) olive oil
1/2 – 1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg bocconcini (mini mozzerella balls)
1 C grape tomatoes
1 lb pasta (cavatappi or penne shape)

Wash and dry basil. In a small food processor (I use the 3 C size) add 2/3 of the basil leaves, almonds, parmesan, garlic and half of the olive oil. Pulse several times to break down items and blend well. Add in salt and pepper and the remaining basil leaves. Pulse again and drizzle in remaining olive oil until pesto is getting smooth and the oil consistency meets your taste. If you accidentally add too much oil, add more basil and/or cheese and pulse again to soak it up.

Cook pasta to al dente in boiling water. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes in half. If you can find the itsy bitsy mozzarella balls, simply leave them as is. If they’re slightly larger, like the ones pictured, slice them in half or quarters.

Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Put pasta in a bowl and mix in pesto sauce. Add tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir gently until pesto is coating everything well. Taste it. If needed, sprinkle lightly with salt to bring out flavors, stirring salt in throughout. Serve warm or cold.

4 Comments

Filed under Garden, Main Dish, Sides

Tagged as basil pesto, how to make pesto, pesto salad

by Anne | September 2, 2010 · 2:03 pm

Organization {Bedroom Closet}

We moved into our new house 5 months ago and in the midst of kitchen remodels and massive amounts of painting, I have completely neglected other areas of our home. For example, my bedroom closet was a total disaster. In fact, I am slightly embarrassed to share these pictures with you, but if you promise not to judge, I will let you take a peek.

With fall just around the corner, my tall boots and bulky sweaters were just dying to come down from the attic. I took one look at this mess and realized I needed to do some major rearranging before my closet was fall ready.

I had just one day and a $50 budget to get it all done. Here’s how it turned out:

Reorganizing a closet takes just a few simple steps. The hard part is getting motivated!

Step 1: Purge

Set up three piles: keep, throw and donate. Go through each item in your closet and be brutally honest. Do you like it? Does it fit? When was the last time you wore it? Allow yourself to keep only things that make you feel good and that you enjoy wearing. I think I cleared out about a quarter of my closet and haven’t missed any of it.

Step 2: Think about what you need to make your closet work for you

Some people might need a solution for organizing sweaters while others need more space for hangers. For me, I needed some serious shoe organization and a way to stack things on my top self so they were easy to find and easy to put away.

Step 3: Organize, Organize, Organize

Purchase things that will help you organize or simply use things you already have! I purchased 2 shoe organizers, on sale for $22/each from target, that gave me plenty of storage and also added a low shelf for my boots.

I also grabbed some inexpensive box organizers from Ikea to help organize my odds and ends.

So much better! Now, everything has its place and with a little effort, my closet looks clean and organized every day.

How do you keep your closet organized?

6 Comments

Filed under Decorate

Tagged as bedroom closet, closet organization, How to organize your closet, organization, organization tips and tricks

by Anne | September 1, 2010 · 8:28 am

Mexican Street Corn

Due to the abundance of inexpensive sweet corn at the grocery store, my family has been eating it constantly. Don’t get me wrong, I love corn on the cob with lots of butter and salt but lately my taste buds have been craving something a little different. So, I decided to try a new and interesting recipe.

I once heard about Mexican Street Corn, corn on the cob brushed with mayo and sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and ground chili powder. Rumor has it this type of corn is served by street vendors in Mexico. Although, in all of my trips there I haven’t been lucky enough to come across this treat.

Mexican Street Corn

5 ears of corn, husks removed
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Chili powder to taste
Cooking Spray, such as PAM
Tin foil

Tear off 4 individual pieces of tin foil, large enough to wrap one ear of corn. Spray one side with cooking spray, to prevent the cheese from sticking, and set aside.

Lightly brush the corn with the mayonnaise. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and chili powder and wrap in the prepared foil. Grill on a medium high grill, turning occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until corn is tender and slightly browned.

Enjoy the last couple weeks of summer!