Creamed Spinach and Pasta

 My sons and I recently discovered a library within walking distance of our house.  We finally decided to walk to it and get ourselves a library card.  It has become one of our weekly activities to walk to the library and check out books for Griffin.  Since I don't read books, I quickly found the cookbook isle.  It's so fun to check out a different cookbook each week to read and get recipes from.  This recipe is adapted from one of the cookbooks I checked out recently.  I didn't have all of the ingredients so I changed it a bit.  It's a super quick and easy dish.  And mighty tasty!

Creamed Spinach and Pasta

2 Tbs. butter
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
garlic salt

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat.  Add spinach and saute until wilted.  Pour in cream.  Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium and add cheese.  Stir well and let simmer until sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes.  Remove from stove and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt.  Serve over pasta.  (I used orzo pasta).

The Best Pot Roast

This is the pot roast that I made on Father's Day.

It really was the best.

It's no secret that we the people of Becoming Betty are not food photographers or food stylists...just food lovers.

So instead of posting my not-so-appetizing picture, I'm just going to linky-dink you on over to Hold the Onions where I got the recipe.

Try it!  You will love it.

Scroll down for really yummy chicken recipe from Bonnie.

Somehow it published under the pie, but we don't want anyone to miss it!

Hope you are all surviving the heat today!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

This is the dessert we had on Father's Day.

BC loves strawberry pie and since his mom makes such a good one,  I have never attempted to duplicate it.

But then I saw this recipe in my ward cookbook and it looked so easy I had to try it.  I'm not much of a pie-maker, so I was kind of nervous, but BC loved it and wants me to make it again so we'll call it a success!

1 (9 inch) baked pie shell
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar

*Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar together really well and spread in the bottom of pie shell.  Set aside.

2 boxes strawberries
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
4 Tbs. cornstarch
whipped cream for the top

*Crush up enough berries (I used a food processor) to make 1 cup.  Set aside the crushed berries.  Cut up the rest of the berries into bite-sized pieces.  In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Stir well and add the crushed berries.  Stir well again and then cook over medium-high heat until boiling.  Cook for 2 minutes until thick and clear.  Cool.  Press the cut-up berries into the cream cheese mixture and then pour cooled strawberry mixture over berries.  Chill until ready to serve and then top with whipped cream.

*When I made the strawberry mixture on the stove it was really thick and didn't look like it was going to work so we ended up adding more water to it until we liked the consistency.  I'm anxious to try this recipe again and see if that happens a second time.

HONEY MARINATED CHICKEN

Easy summer favorite at our house. Serve with roasted potatoes and fresh green beans. That's what we're having today...results of my visit to the farmer's market yesterday.

1 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. honey
2 T. Dijon style mustard
2 gloves garlic, finely chopped
2 t. salt
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. freshly ground pepper

Pour all into blender and blend well. Pour over boneless, skinless chicken breasts and marinate overnight in a plastic bag. Discard marinade and grill chicken 6-10 minutes, or until done. Baste during grilling with equal parts honey and soy sauce during last 5 minutes. Also good served over rice.

turkey, avacado and cheddar sandwich

my latest obsession has been a turkey sandwich that my friend bonnie introduced me to. there's nothing too fancy about it. the secret is the dressing...

toasted bread

turkey (i prefer Columbus from Trader Joes)
cheddar (i prefer Tilamook)
avacado
Briannas poppy seed dressing
*other toppings of your choice

put it all together and its declicious! Trader Joe's hawaiian style potato chips go great with it!

Cheesy Pesto Dip

My favorite part about eating at Paradise Bakery is the bowl of pesto and bread chunks to sample right when you walk in the door.  I'm not even that in love with pesto, but I look forward to that free sample every time I go there.  I think my sister, Rach, could bathe in pesto.  She loves it.  I can only handle it in small doses.  I like it as a dip and that's all.  That's why I couldn't wait to try this recipe.  It is a Kraft recipe.  It is so simple and so delicious!  Perfect amounts of cheese and pesto.  And perfect for a summer party!  Or you can eat it by yourself in your kitchen and hope your husband doesn't smell it so you can devour the whole thing.  Not that I did that.

Cheesy Pesto Dip

1 8oz. pkg. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (I used half mozzarella and half parmesan)
1 small tomato, diced

Heat grill to medium heat.  Place block of cream cheese on 2 sheets of foil.  Pour pesto over cream cheese.  Sprinkle with tomatoes and cheese.  Gather up the 4 sides of foil to make a tent over the dip.  Seal sides together.  Place on grill and close lid.  Let cook for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with crackers, bread chunks or pita chips. 

OR

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Put foil covered dip on oven rack and cook for 20 minutes.  This is what I did and it worked great!