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Garlic-Basil Butter

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Garlic-Basil Butter 4Flavored butters are a simple way to add a touch of sophistication to your meal, especially this garlic-basil butter.  Impress your guests or add it to a weeknight meal.  It’s fancy enough for company, but easy enough for every day!  It takes only minutes to prepare, but it makes even a simple meal seem a little more fancy with delicious flavor!

If you want to take it up a notch, you can have an assortment of herbed butters by adding our chive butter to your spread.  (Spread.  Ha!  Sadly, that pun was intended.)

We love simple recipes, and this one fits the bill.  Garden-fresh herbs and veggies don’t always need a lot of dressing up.  This butter really lets the flavor of the garlic and basil shine through without overpowering your dish.  Summertime perfection!

Give this garlic-basil butter a try the next time you have fresh herbs, you will not be disappointed in the lovely flavor, and you will love how easy it is to whip up!

Garlic-Basil Butter 1

Butter freezes very well.  Place the butter on a piece of waxed or parchment paper.  Roll it into a cylindrical shape, then twist the ends of the paper to seal.  You can place it in a freezer bag for an extra layer of protection, if desired.  When you need some basil butter, unwrap the log and slice off a disc to use for toast or veggies, or in your recipe.  This is a great option if you are trying to use as much basil as you can at the end of your harvest, and it’s just as easy to make a big batch as it is a single batch.

Enjoy!

Garlic-Cilantro Aioli

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Aioli.  You’ve heard of it.  Maybe even seen it.  But what in the world is it?  Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers!  Aioli is a garlic-flavored mayonnaise typically served with fish, seafood and vegetables.  It’s a French word with Latin roots:  ai–>garlic (allium) and oli–>oil (oleum).  Garlic Oil.  Yup.  We’re making garlic oil today!  With a little cilantro thrown in for good measure.

Garlic-Cilantro Aioli main

You’ll be so happy you tried today’s recipe.  This aioli is so easy to make…it all goes in the blender, and you’re done in 30 seconds!  There’s nothing I love more than an easy, quick, delicious recipe!

So far we have enjoyed our garlic-cilantro aioli  with Roasted Artichoke, Fat-Free Sweet Potato Fries (we will share that recipe with you next week!) and we even used it as a sandwich spread.  You just can’t go wrong with this aioli!  Comment below and let us know how you like to eat your aioli!

Garlic-Cilantro Aioli 3

Fruity Pasta Salad

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Looking for a fresh, colorful side dish for your Mother’s Day brunch this year?  Try this fruity pasta salad!  It’s versatile, flavorful, and easy to put together…perfect for busy moms and grandmas (and dads too)!

Fruity Pasta Salad mainYou can use any combination of soft fruits in this salad.  Here we used strawberries, pineapple, grapes, kiwi and mandarin oranges.

Fruity Pasta Salad 4Peaches, nectarines, grapefruit, plums, all kinds of berries, bananas…add whatever combination sounds good!

Fruity Pasta Salad 5

 
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Strawberry Mango Salsa

Strawberry Mango Salsa

Ingredients

  • 1 cup strawberries, diced
  • 1 cup mango, diced (about 1 mango)
  • 1/8 cup red onion, diced
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • juice from 1 lime

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl combine honey and lime juice.
  2. In a large bowl combine strawberries, mangoes, onions and cilantro.
  3. Toss with honey-lime mix.
  4. Chill until ready to serve.
https://westerngardens.com/fruity-pasta-salad/

 

Fruity Pasta Salad 2

Avocado & Slow-Roasted Tomato Toast

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Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook veggies, as I mentioned in my post about roasted asparagus.  Tomatoes are another reason why.  Slow roasting concentrates their flavors, making even so-so tomatoes wonderfully delicious and tender…similar to how a slow-cooker can turn a tough cut of meat into a tender and juicy dish. If garden-fresh tomatoes aren’t in season but you need a fix, this is a perfect way to prepare them to get maximum flavor from a less-than-flavorful store bought tomato!

slow roasted tomato toast 3 pin

The flavors of roasted vegetables are deep and rich.  The tomatoes come out juicy and soft and the garlic will spread right into the toast.  slow roasted tomato avocado toast collage

Slow-Roasted Tomato & Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium tomatoes, halved
  • 8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
  • 2-3 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
  • dried Italian seasoning (or 2 sprigs fresh herbs)
  • freshly ground sea salt & black pepper
  • 2 avocados
  • 1-2 tsp lime juice
  • 8 toasted french bread slices
  • balsamic reduction*

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Place the garlic cloves and tomatoes, cut-side up, in a baking dish.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
  2. Roast for about 1 hour & 45 minutes (up to two hours). Tomatoes should be slightly reduced in size and skins should be puckered.
  3. Check the garlic after about 1 hour 15 minutes.  They might be done before the tomatoes.  Remove if done, continue roasting if not.
  4. Tomatoes can be served right away, or refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
  5. To assemble the toast, begin by toasting 8 slices of french bread.
  6. Peel and pit the avocado and mash with lime juice.
  7. Remove the peel from a clove of roasted garlic and spread it over a slice of toast.  Spread avocado mixture over the garlic.  Top the avocado with a roasted tomato, and drizzle with balsamic reduction.

slow roasted tomato toast 6 square*To reduce balsamic vinegar, add 1 cup to a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently for about 10 minutes, or until balsamic is reduced to desired consistency.  It will thicken as it cools, so remove it from the heat before it looks completely done.

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Cowboy Caviar

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If you are looking for something a little different, really simple, and super quick, look no further!  It’s a fabulous appetizer served with chips, or as part of a main meal…like a taco bar topping.  Whether your ingredients are straight from the garden, or came from the produce section, you will impress your guests with this flavorful treat!

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15.25 oz) supersweet yellow corn
  • 1 can (15.25 oz) white corn, drained
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix (dry)
  • 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and gently combine.  Delicious right away, but even better once the flavors have had a chance to mingle.  Serve with chips, or in a taco bar.

Cowboy Caviar square

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Becky

  

~Becky

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

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If you love avocado, cilantro and lime as much as I do, this dressing is a must!  It’s creamy and fresh and adds just a little kick!  Thin it down a little to pour onto your salad, or leave it thick and spread it on your sandwich in place of mayo.  Either way it is highly addicting!

avocado cilantro lime dressing
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 1 clove garlic
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, stems removed
  • 1/2 tsp agave
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to blender jar.  Process until dressing is smooth and creamy.
  2. If dressing is too thick, add more milk until you reach the desired consistency.

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing Square

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Becky

 

~Becky

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