Watermelon Feta Salad

Summer is so full of fruits and vegetables!  (The one perk of summer---sorry guys!  I'm a fall/winter girl)  Watermelon HAS to be the fruit of summer.  I mean really---who eats watermelon in December?  Exactly!

{I set out the watermelon, turned my back, and found a hunk missing--turns out Ben could eat it 24/7}

No offense--but I get a bit tired of having watermelon straight up or in a fruit salad.  I saw this recipe along with several others, and I decided to give it a whirl!  Ben gave me funny looks, and I am positive that my family chuckled when I told them I was bringing it for our weekly meal.  However, everyone said that it was delicious!  Lesson learned--Don't judge a recipe by it's ingredients!

Watermelon Feta Salad

Serves 4

3 cups watermelon, cubed into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup olives, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
3 limes, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
dash of kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Place first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Pour dressing over salad.
4. Toss and serve.
5. This can be made the night before.  However, the salt and the citrus will draw out the juices in the watermelon so bottom of the bowl will be full of juices. This is normal and will not affect the flavor.

Yup--it's that easy.  If you are still telling me I am off my rocker--go grab some watermelon and just put the dressing on it.  I'm telling you---a different spin on everyday food brightens it up!Pin It

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

So I, along with my mother, have become OBSESSED with anything buffalo chicken!  Seriously!  Mom was on-her-deathbed-sick and saw a commercial for Spicy Buffalo Chicken Pizza, and she said "that sounds good!" (I am not lying!). 

This dip is EXCELLENT and easy!  You can make it as hot and spicy as you want!  You'll have to make a double batch because this will definitely be the first to go!  (As far as healthy...  All things in moderation!)

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Serves 8

1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup hot buffalo sauce (we use Frank's Red Hot, but use whatever you love!)
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
2 (8 oz each) cans chicken, drained

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat cream cheese and mozzarella in microwave for 1 minute (makes it easier to stir and distribute).
3. Add buffalo sauce, dressing, and chicken.
4. Stir until combined.
5. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with chips and/or celery sticks!

If you want to make it more spicy, just add more hot sauce or chili pepper flakes!

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Lemon Bars

Okay....  So maybe I have a slight obsession with lemon!  There was a point in life that I hated it  (as a child).  In fact, culinary school changed my mind!  Plus, your taste buds change every few years.  Either way, I am so sad I missed out on so much lemon-goodness, but I am making up for it!

These lemon bars are DELICIOUS!!!  They are light and lemony but grounded with the flaky, buttery crust.  Ben even mentioned that he preferred the crust over the lemon-goodness (worry not--I gave him the evil eye!).  These are habit-forming though!  Like everything else I make, they didn't last long.  :o)

Lemon Bars

Serves 15

Crust
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
8 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Powdered sugar for dusting on top

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cream crust butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; add the flour until just combined.
3. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 casserole pan.
4. Press crust into the bottom of the casserole pan; try to get the crust as even as possible, and do not go up the sides or leave holes in it!
5. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set and the edges are slightly browned.
6. Mix filling ingredients on high for 5 minutes.
7. Pour filling onto the warm (if not just out of the oven) crust.
8. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until set.
9. Cool.
10. Dust with powdered sugar, cut and serve!

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Ode to the KitchenAid

How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways......

Although an inanimate object, I do have to thank my WONDERFUL mixer: KitchenAid!!!  If you are in the market for a fabulous mixer, I would recommend this brand hands down.  I have a Professional Plus 5 which handles LOTS of double and triple recipes with no problem. 

If you want to learn the specifics or mechanics please go here.  The mixer comes with the bowl and three attachments (paddle, whisk, and dough hook) and many different colors.  Bed, Bath, and Beyond has a good coupon program if you sign up so you could get this mixer as much as $60 cheaper.  It is an investment; my mixer is 4-5 years old and still going strong.  If you do as much baking as I do--the professional is a must!  KitchenAid makes smaller stand mixers and some hand mixers too.

KitchenAid also makes different attachments for the mixer so you could make your own pasta, mill your grains, shred foods, or grind your own meat.  I really can't say enough about it!

PS--I would be a skinnier woman (family and friends too!) if I didn't have this mixer :oDPin It