2 Pasta Dishes Perfect For Summer

Pasta is a perfect fit for summertime meals and cooking. It takes a little time to bring the water to boil and usually cooks in under ten minutes. So, it doesn't heat the house up too much. It is light and can be paired with a variety of food items from meats to veggies. It is also a favorite with adults and kids. 

So today I thought I would share two of my family favorite pasta dishes. They are easy to fix and to throw together. They are good with steaks or hamburger patties. They have very few ingredients in them and you most likely will have the majority of them on hand. 

Pasta W/ Marinara Sauce

• 8 oz. of spaghetti noodles (You could use angel hair pasta. I always try to use whole wheat pasta if available.) 
• 1 - 24 oz. jar of Barilla Marinara Sauce (or your favorite sauce) 
• shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to the package. Warm sauce up until it comes to a boil. When the pasta is ready to drain, save a little of the pasta water. Put the pasta back in the pot you cooked it in. Add a little of the pasta water. Pour the hot sauce over the pasta and combine. Serve with shredded cheese on top.

 

Pasta W/ Tomatoes

• 1/2 a box of Rotini pasta (I use Whole Grain Rotini Pasta.)
• 1 - 14.5 oz. Hunt's Diced Tomatoes w/ Basil, Garlic, & Basil
• black pepper, garlic salt, onion powder, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes - all to taste
• shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package. Drain and save a little of the pasta water. Place pasta back in the pot you cooked it in with a little of the pasta water. Turn on low heat. Pour the diced tomatoes, juice and all over the pasta. Add spices to taste. Heat until everything is warm through. Serve with shredded cheese on top. 

 

My family loves both of these simple pasta dishes. They may not be approved by a great Italian cook, but they are by this simple cook. Plus, they have an  added bonus of being a great start for lunchtime meal. Just add a salad and some garlic bread. Give these dishes a try and see what you think!

 

Looking for simple dishes to serve and enjoying the ease and lightness of them! 

 

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If you are interested, I am sharing the reason for saving some of the pasta water over on "A Life Lived Simply" FB page today. 

Summertime Meal Ideas

Yesterday I posted about summertime cooking. Today I am posting summertime meals ideas. Most of them are easy and somewhat quick to fix. However, the main focus is sharing meals that are light and cool. Meals that don't require a lot of cooking so you aren't heating up your house on those hot, hazy, humid summer days. 

Cold Meals: Food doesn't have to be warm to be fulfilling. There are quite a few foods out there that can be eaten cold.

• Hillshire Farm Beef Sausage, crackers w/ cheddar cheese, veggies w/ dip, cold fruit (watermelon/cantaloupe) or fresh fruit (apple slice/fresh peaches/grapes.)
• Tuna Salad/Chicken Salad served on crackers, veggies w/ dip, assortment of nuts, fruits
• There are variety of cold soups recipes out there to be served on a hot summer day. Serve with a small sandwich or a piece of crusty bread, or cheese with some sort of cracker.

Sandwiches: There are all kinds of things you can make sandwiches out of. They don't have to be complicated sandwiches. One or two ingredients will do just fine. You can also get the whole range of the food groups in one sandwich. So whether served on a sliced bread, rolls, or in tortillas; sandwiches are simply a good thing. Serve them with chips w/ salsa, chips w/ dip, assorted nuts, popcorn, veggies w/ dip, or fruit. 

• Peanut Butter & Jelly - Most kids love this sandwich. 
• Banana Sandwich - Slice the banana long ways. Arrange on a piece of bread covered in Duke's mayo. Top with another piece of mayo covered bread, then enjoy! I love eating these sandwiches with original Doritos. The flavors complement each other. Give it a try!
• Tomato Sandwich - Nothing can beat a fresh out of the garden tomato on bread covered with Duke's mayo. This is the food of the gods in the South. 
• Sub Sandwiches - Use an assort of meats, cheeses, veggies, and condiments. Subs are your all in one sandwich. 
• Deviled Eggs Sandwiches - Boiling eggs doesn't heat up the house much, so Deviled Eggs sandwiches are a good fit for summer. 
• Tuna/Chicken Salad Sandwiches or Crab/Lobster/Shrimp Rolls Sandwiches
• Sandwich Wraps - Use your imagination when it comes to wrap sandwiches. Use deli meat or leftover chicken/turkey/steak/roast beef. Use slice cheese or shredded cheese. Use all kinds of veggies. Create and enjoy.  
• BLT Sandwiches - BLT are at their best when you can use a homegrown tomato, so summer is the perfect time for these sandwiches.  

  

Salads: From salad with greens, to pasta salad, to bean salad, to potato salad to fruit salads; salads are the perfect type dishes for those hot summer months. Serve them with meats for supper or make them the star of lunch served with some sort of crusty bread. You have the makings of a great meal.

• Garden Salad W/ Chicken - Using salad greens as your base; add all kinds of veggies, some shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and crutons. Grill chicken tenders that have been marinated in Italian Dressing. When they are finished, cut up and top the salad with the pieces. Pour on some ranch dressing and enjoy. Try the same thing with marinated steaks. 
• Meatless Taco Salad - Using salad greens as your base; add grape tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese & Monterey jack cheese, and corn chips; then toss. Warm up a can of black beans, a can of kidney beans, and can of corn. When warm, drain water off of them. Toss them with a little taco seasoning. Add them to the salad and toss. Serve with ranch dressing.
• Vegetable Salad - Cut of some of your favorite veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and place in a bowl. Pour ranch dressing over the top to coat the veggies well and stir. This is a great alternative too a salad with greens. 

Stir-Frys & Sautees - These are two great ways to take of advantage of the fresh veggies of summer. Neither of these methods will heat up the house too much, plus you can always turn on your stove top fan to minimize some of the heat. 

Fried Or Pan-Fried Meats: 

• Steaks and pork chops can be pan seared in a little butter until they are done, then served with a salad or light pasta side dish. 
• Hamburger patties can be pan-fried in their own juices, then served with some steamed onions on top or fried peppers and onions. Serve with some cold potato salad and fruit. 

Grilled Food: Besides your usual meats and fishy type meats, grilled veggies are delicious too. Again this is a great way to take advantage of the fresh summer veggies. 

• Yellow Squash or Zucchini - Allow to come to room temperature if they have been in the frig. Wash them off. Cut into thick slices leaving the skin on. As they grill brush on a flavored butter or a mixture of flavored butter and olive oil. 
• Other veggies to grill include; Portabella Mushrooms, Red/Purple or White Onions, Bell Peppers.

Side Dishes: They don't have to be too heavy. Beside pasta salads, there are light pasta dishes to consider. Of course, summer lends its self to finger foods. There are always assorted nuts, pickles, all kinds of fruits served in a variety of ways, all kinds of crackers and chips, all sorts of dips, salsa, cheese salsa to serve on the side.  

I hope some of these ideas will be found useful.  Most of them have been tried and tested by my family. Although, I can't speak as a seafood expert. (I was NOT cut out to be a seafood connoisseur.) I would love to hear some of your summertime meal ideas. Leave me a comment and I will give them a try. 

 

Enjoying the simple summertime tastes and trying to live through the heat and humidity of the days!  

Summertime Cooking

Summer in our area of the South is more often than not; HOT, HAZY, and HUMID. Although we aren't in the deep South, the misery factor still prevails. None of us can take the heat and humidity. With all of us suffering from asthma issues, we try to stay in during the hottest part of the day. 

The heat and humidity effects us in another way. It effects what we want to eat. We don't want anything really hot and nothing heavy. We like light, cold foods. So today, I thought I would share some of my tips for preparing food on those hot summer days. 

One of the biggest things I do is to try to avoid heating up the house by using the oven. Summer is the perfect time to take full advantage of your grill, crock pot, stove top, microwave, and toaster ovens - if you have one. Another way to avoid heating up the house is to serve cold foods. 

When it comes to summertime grilling there are so many different kinds of food to choose from. Steak, chicken, pork chops, and shrimp are good light meat choices for summertime grilling. Of course, hamburgers and hot dogs are always an option. The wealth of summertime veggies are also a great option. Add a cold pasta salad to grill meats and veggies, you have a great summertime meal. 

If you still want to have roast beef, pork roast, or baked chicken; put them in your crock pot instead of the oven. This will help keep the house cool and use less electricity. It takes a little planning, but well worth the effort in trying to keep your house cool. 

The stove top is another option, but it can make the cook hot. Frying meats is another option to putting it in the oven. Whether it is in a little butter or some sort of oil. Pasta is a good thing to keep on hand during the summer. It comes to a boil and boils for a short time, which means little heating. There are a wide variety of pasta salad recipes out there to choose from. 

Although I seldom use my microwave, it is a great option to use in the summer. You can bake potatoes in one. It is also good for popping popcorn which is a wonderful summertime snack. If you are looking for some microwave meal recipes, here is a link to some healthy meals ideas.  

If you have a toaster oven, you can find all kinds of things you can fix in it besides toast. It is also is more energy efficient than the oven. I found a great website with some great meal ideas for the toaster oven. You can find it here: Toaster Oven Recipes. 

More often than not on those really, really hot days with high humidity, DH doesn't want anything warm. So I opt for cold foods and meals. One of our favorites is smoked beef sausage served with cheese and crackers. I add some raw veggies with dip and a cold watermelon/cantaloupe. This meal is filling and best of all cold. 

One of the best tips I can give you is to take full advantage of all the summertime goodies available at the farmer's market or your grocery store. There are so many fresh veggies to choose from, not to mention fruits. It is a wonderful way to slip in those healthy eating items with little fuss from anyone. There is nothing better than homegrown  tomato slices or fresh peaches with a little sugar. 

I hope these ideas help to spark some creativity in you when it comes to cooking those summertime meals. Tomorrow I will share some of our favorite and go to summertime meals. 

Living life simply and enjoying every minute of it! 

Independence Day

Today is the day our young country released a declaration declaring its independence from the British empire. Incredibly brave men and men of great faith spoke out against the tyranny of men and spoke of a natural freedom that all men possess, which was given to them by their Creator. When these men signed the Declaration they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. With that declaration a course of freedom was set and a republic was formed.

The men that signed and stood for freedom did not go unscathed for declaring their independence. Five were captured by the British, declared traitors, and were tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes looted and burned. Two lost sons in the Revolutionary War. Nine fought and died during the war. Many saw their families imprisoned and die while in prison. Several died destitute with no riches to their name. 

We should never forget their courage to stand against such a powerful entity as the British Empire or their conviction for standing up for what they thought was a God-given right - men's freedom. We should never forget their sacrifice. We should strive to be citizens that pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor to uphold the principles on which this great republic of the United States was founded and for the God-given  freedom of all. 

Please take the time today or the next few days to read this incredible brave declaration written and signed by our courageous Founding Fathers. Below you find the introduction to get you started.

"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, 

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world...."

Happy Independence Day my fellow Americans! May God bless each of you and these great United States Of America!!!!!!!

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I will be taking a break from blogging the rest of the week to spend time with my family. DH is off for the week. We have some projects and family time planned. So I will see you next week! 

A Week Of Peanut Butter Recipes: Chocolate Cow Patties

I am really not sure what the official name of these cookies are. I think it is something like "Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Drop Cookies." However, my family just calls them cow patties, because - well,  they look like cow patties. If you grew up in the country than you know what I mean. Whatever they are called, they are good cookies that combine chocolate, peanut butter, and oatmeal.

Chocolate Cow Patties

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 Tbsp of peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp of cocoa powder
• 1 stick of butter
• 3 cups of quick 1 minute oats (I use old-fashioned oats that I chop up in my blender a little bit.)

Mix together the sugar, milk, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and the stick of butter cut into pieces in a medium size pot. Place pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. 

 

Remove from heat and pour over the oatmeal in a heat proof bowl. Stir to combine. 

 

Drop by the spoonfuls onto a baking sheet or onto non-stick aluminum foil (which is what I use) until the cool and set. Enjoy!

 

I like to eat the cookies while they are still warm and gooey. DH and DD like them set up. These cookies are tricky cookies to set up, because the humidity in the air effects whether they set up or not. So try to make them on a rather dry day. 

 

Living a simple life and enjoying baking simple treats for my family! 

A Week Of Peanut Butter Recipes: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

If you love peanut butter cookies but are gluten intolerant than this is the recipe for you. These cookies have been approved by my DH which means they are good. They are easy to make which is an added bonus. 

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of creamy peanut butter
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together thoroughly. 

Drop by the teaspoonful onto a baking sheet and press down with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. 

Cool a for about 2 minutes before removing from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. 

Makes somewhere between 2 to 3 dozen. 

Living a simple life and loving making special treats for my family to eat! 

A Week Of Peanut Butter Recipes: Peanut Butter Fingers

This recipe takes me back to my days in high school, because it came straight out of the school lunchroom recipes in the area I lived. A cousin of mine had a relative that worked in one of the lunchrooms and she posted it on FB. They are so YUMMY and a favorite of the kids.  

As I began subbing in my old junior high, I would eat two of these most everyday I was working. Due to new guidelines implemented recently; they have been declared unhealthy. I am sure all the peanut allergy precautions also have something to do it, which I know from experience can't be taken lightly.

The original recipe is enough for 2 - 9"X13" baking sheets. I have cut that down into a half a recipes. However, if you want to feed a crowd, just double the measurements in the recipe. 

Peanut Butter Fingers 

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 1 cup of flour (I use 1/2 cup of all-purpose and 1/2 cup of whole wheat.)
• 1/2 baking soda
• 1/4 tsp of salt

 

All the ingredients you will need.

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9"X13" baking sheet or pan. 

 

Cream together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well. 

Cream the sugars and butter together.

All mixed.

Add the egg and vanilla.

Mix together.

In another bowl; add the oats, flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together to combine.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Add to the sugar mixture. Mix until well combined. 

Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and combine.

All combined.

Spread in a greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 2o minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven and set on a cooling rack.  

It will take a little elbow power and work to get it spread evenly.

Ready for the oven.

Out of the oven and ready for the icing.

 
Peanut Butter Finger Icing

• 1/2 cup of evaporated milk
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• pinch of salt

All the ingredients you will need. 

 

Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. 

 

Add all the ingredients and combine.

The finished delicious product.

 

Pour over the finished baked crust while it is still hot and spread.

 

Add the icing to the crust that is just out of the oven.

 

Let it cool completely so the icing will set. When cooled, cut into bars and enjoy!

 

Now you just have to wait until it cools and the icing sets, then you can enjoy!

 

This recipe is fairly simple to make and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Each time I make it, my thoughts go back to when things in my life were really simple. It is simply a perfect recipe! 

A Week Of Peanut Butter Recipes: Buckeye Brownies

My youngest BIL found this recipe on Facebook and requested that I make it for his birthday one year. If you like the combo of peanut butter and chocolate than you will love this. The only thing I don't like about it is the richness of the chocolate layer, but I think I know how to fix that. I will leave my solution in the recipe instructions. 

Buckeye Brownies 

For the brownie bottom layer:

• 1 package of your favorite brownie mix prepare according to the package directions.  

For the peanut butter middle layer: 

• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 - 18 oz. jar of peanut butter

Mix together and spread over cooled brownies. Chill in the frig for one hour. 

 

For the chocolate top layer:

• 1 - 12oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips ( I think to cut down on the richness, I am going to do half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips next time I make it.)
• 6 Tbsp. of butter, softened

Mix together in a sauce pan over low heat until melted. When melted, spread over the peanut butter layer. Cool in frig until everything is set. Cut into squares and enjoy! 

 

I normally don't do boxed foods, but on some occasions I do until I can figure out a good alternative. When I figure one out for this recipe, I'll let you know. 

 

Enjoying baking simple treats for my family to enjoy! 

A Week Of Peanut Butter Recipes: Peanut Butter Bars

We are never without peanut butter, JIF peanut butter,  in our house. So it is always on hand and I make good use of it making some of our favorite recipes. This week I am sharing some of our favorite peanut butter recipes. Some of the have chocolate in it, but there is no better combination, right? I hope by the end of the week you will try one and let your family enjoy!

The first recipe I am sharing with you is an easy recipe to fix. It bakes in less than 30 minutes. It needs time to cool, so it will set, but sometimes we just eat the bars all gooey. These bars are great with a cold glass of milk or dunked in a cup of hot chocolate. 

Peanut Butter Bars

• 1/4 cup of shortening (I use Crisco sticks.)
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter (JIF, of course)
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup of flour (I use 1/2 cup of King Arthur All-Purpose Flour & 1/2 cup of K.A. Whole Wheat Flour.) 
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a small square pan or a small rectangular pan. I use an 8" X 8" square pan. 

Combine the shortening, peanut butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Mix at a low speed. 

In another bowl combine the dry ingredients - the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Mix at a low speed until the ingredients are just combined. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Or is you are like us and can't wait, cool until the pan is cool enough to touch. Cut into bars and enjoy! 

If you don't have brown sugar, you can use all white sugar and it will turn out just fine. If you like coconut, you can add a little to the mixture before you bake. You will like the results. 

Living a simple life and enjoying the simple baked treats I make for our family! 

S.P.P. : JIF Peanut Butter

Choosy moms choose JIF and this mom does, too. JIF peanut butter is hands down the BEST peanut butter on the market. I have eaten other brands and tried natural/organic products, but none of them compare to JIF. 

Choosy moms choose JIF.

JIF has crunchy peanut butter, but the peanut butter we like the best is the creamy kind. It is creamy without being to dry. It has a moistness and oiliness to it that makes it easy to spread. It also doesn't tear your bread apart as you spread it. JIF doesn't have the bitter off taste some other brands do.

I eat some peanut butter everyday. I usually have it for breakfast, so does DD.  However, if I need a quick pick me up snack, I grab a big spoon and scoop out a big glob to devour. DH has taken to doing the same. 

We all love chocolate and there can be no better combo than chocolate and peanut butter. That is why a lot of the desserts I fix around here have both in them.  However, we love desserts made just out of peanut butter, too. 

Peanut butter is a healthy food product. It contains protein which makes it a good snack food. Beside all that, kids love it. 

When reaching for peanut butter, we choose what we think is the best -JIF. It is simply one of those perfect products! 

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Check back in next week, as I share some of our favorite peanut butter recipes. So get your JIF and be ready to bake!