Angie's Pasta Salad

It has been one of the biggest pleasures of my life to be a part of such a wonderful community. The community I speak of is the "Food Blogging Community". I have met several hundred people who have a love of Food and a love of making people happy through food as much as I do. My friend Angie is one of those people.

Meet Angie Stewart!

Angie is the founder of "Angie's Big Love of Food" and is a contributing editor @ "Country Cooks Across America"

Angie is a self proclaimed "Southern Girl" who loves food as much as I do if not More!!! I am inspired by Angie's zest for keeping it "REAL". Southern cooking is so much about feeding your family...and making it count. Angie so exudes the warmth and charm of all of those things put together! I was so honored when Angie answered the call for guest Bloggers while I was visiting my hometown, because I know what she shares with you will be from the heart!

Enjoy All!!!

Well, hello there, Food is Love family!!  I am Angie, from Angie's Big Love of Food.  And I can not tell you how honored I am to be guest posting this page today.  Laurie has extended her never ending support, not just for my personal page but for my latest project, with 4 other fabulous gals, Country Cooks Across America.  We just love her to pieces.  And now I am getting to meet all of you and my heart is all smiles.  I am truly honored that each of you, are welcoming me into your kitchen.    

It's that time of year again, time for BBQ's, picnics and being surrounded by family and friends.  Next time you have a gathering to attend and want to take something that will have folks beggin' for the recipe, THIS IS IT!!  We have a local deli here in Memphis that is much loved for their incredible pasta salad.  In fact, I have spent many years attempting to copy it and failed miserably...until NOW!!!  So, this has quickly become our families favorite Pasta Salad recipe.  It's so easy to make you won't believe it!!!  I have even cut it in half, on several occasions to make just a few servings for a quick side dish to go with burgers on a Sat. night.  This dish is going to be at every BBQ/picnic, we attend this summer, can't wait to share with everyone!

Big southern hugs, 

Angie

Angie's Creamy Parmesan Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

4 oz medium shells

4 oz large elbow

3/4 cup cucumber, diced

3/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup pimentos, diced

garnish with 1 T cilantro

season to taste (1/4 tsp salt)

Creamy Parmesan sauce: 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp grated garlic

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

season to taste

(doesn't need much extra salt because of the parm & probably added 1/4 tsp white pepper)

Prepare the sauce, set aside to allow the flavors to marinate.  Prepare your noodles according to package directions (don't forget to salt your water), drain and rinse in cold water.  In a large bowl, add everything and toss in dressing.  Garnish with cilantro.  You could refrigerate this, if you want, allowing the flavors to really come together.  But with something this good, you won't want to wait.

Coming up this week: Sawsan's Oatmeal Peach Cobbler and Eccentric BBQ Sauce..be on the lookout!

Chris's Biscuits

I have the best Food Blogging Friends!!!
Just cause I am on vacation I cant leave you all with nothing to drool over!!
Chris Burkett from Cooking with Kick has favored us with her biscuit recipe!
Thank You Chris!! You are Awesome!!!!!
Last weekend Chris had a Canning Party, did you see what she canned and how we can use those flavors all year long? Stop by her Facebook Page and her Blog to find out!
Chris takes the time out of her busy life in addition to her day job to let us into her kitchen. She shares wonderful stories and insights into making things easier and just downright Good!
Stop by Cooking with Kick and say Hi! Chris is someone you'll be happy you've met.

For this Post, Chris is submitted a really yummy Biscuit Recipe.
She wrote the recipe out for you, but think's it much easier to show you how to do it!
Here she is: Chris Burkett, from Cooking With Kick...

Biscuit Recipe

2 cups self-rising flour

1 stick butter

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

a little more than 3/4 cups of milk, but not quite 1 cup

3 tablespoons of butter

Preheat oven to 450

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a cake pan in the oven while it is preheating

In a bowl cut butter into flour using a pastry cutter or by criss-crossing knives. Stir in sugar and then milk until dough pulls away from bowl. Place dough on a floured surface and knead about 5 times. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out biscuits using a glass or a biscuit cutter. Slide each biscuit around in the melted butter and then turn over and place in pan. Biscuits should touch. Bake for about 10 minutes. 

They look fabulous don't they???
Bet they'd be great in a shortcake like the one below!!!

Enjoy all!!!

Be on the lookout for the 4th of July BBQ posts coming up at the end of the week...

Bristol, Rhode Island

Hey All, as I mentioned a few weeks ago I am going on vacation for about 10 days. I am going to a wonderful New England State called Rhode Island. While I know my friends and family are very familiar with the state, many of my readers may not be. Some of my readership are not from the US. So, if you'll indulge me a little, I'd love to show you a little about Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is the smallest of the United States in land mass.
According to the 2009 census, Rhode Island is 1,044.93 square miles with a Population of: 1,053,209. Just to give you perspective, the County I live in..Miami-Dade County is according to the same census: 1,946.06 square miles with a Population of 2,500,625. The whole state would fit into the county I currently live in!

The town in Rhode Island where the bulk of my vacation will take place is Bristol.

Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

Bristol is nicknamed the "Most Patriotic" city in the country. They celebrate the 4th of July with Flair! The 4th of July Celebration in Bristol is in fact the "Oldest continuous Independence Day Celebration" in the U.S..
I have to admit, coming home for the 4th of July is bigger than Christmas in Bristol. It's that good.
Every year a crowd of 200,000+ people gather in Bristol. They sleep in tents in family members backyards or in RV's parked at the local VFW, just to secure their "spot" on the parade route. We all gather to celebrate the pride we have in our community as well as our country and how it resonates through it's people.

Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

Bristol is a picturesque New England town much like many others with the distinction of being a beautiful History driven community.

Linden Place
Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

With Historical buildings dating back to the 1700's and early 1800s. A walk through the downtown streets will have you in awe of it's splendor. For example "Linden Place",  the "crown jewel" of Bristol's Historic Downtown, is a Federal period Mansion that was originally built for General George DeWolf and later became the home of actress Ethel Barrymore (sister of Drew Barrymore's Grandfather) and Samuel Colt (American Arms maker).

Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

Bristol's history and small town charm bring a peace and contentment to your day that equates with a comfy armchair and a good book on a rainy afternoon. Its tree lined sidewalks, and sprawling harbor views instill a feeling of warmth and welcome that isn't found very often in a vacation spot.
I cannot wait to enjoy the seaside views and a glass of wine at the end of my day!

Photo Credit: Julie Catigliego, Photographer

Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

My very peaceful and contented vacation will end with the Oldest 4th of July Celebration in the country!
Carnivals and Concerts, Great food and Great friends. The week ending with the most spectacular Civic & Military Parade that I will share with 200,000 other Very Proud Americans!
  Join me, wont you?!?!

Photo Credit: Julie Castigliego, Photographer

Many Thanks to Julie Castigliego for her beautiful Photos and the story they tell.

Coconut Macaroon Brownies

Have you ever had a hankering for something and just can't get it out of your head? That's exactly what happened to me last week. I had a brownie in my mind that I had made months ago. It is a combination of my best brownie recipe ever and a moist, sweet coconut macaroon on top! I couldn't get it out of my head. The last time I made them the whole 9x13 pan went in 3 days! But now, where was the recipe? Had I published it before? Was it in my cookie Binder? ugh...
Luckily now, that I have the blog, I never misplace recipes anymore. What I did realize although, was that I hadn't posted the actual recipe for this fantastic confection before. As I usually go to my Blog first, when looking for a certain recipe..I was not so fortunate in this instance. I then have to go to my Facebook Recipe Box, if I don't find it there and it's not a "5 Ingredient Recipe", I then have to go to my "Binder". The Binder is left over from my cookie days. I bet everyone has specific places they look for recipes...this was my trek to find this one. So I finally found it in my "Binder" and here it is for you...While I have to admit, the recipe may seem a bit pretentious. Make from scratch brownies and make from scratch macaroons...I have to say it really works. Now, for those who are time and patience bound..take my advice...Make a box mix Brownie and make the coconut macaroon topping with sweetened condensed milk.
The results will still be so satisfying! Believe me! Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroon Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie:

(8) 1 oz squares Unsweetened Chocolate

1 cup Butter (melted)

5 Eggs

3 cups Sugar

1 tbsp Vanilla

1 1/2 cups Flour (AP)

1 tsp Salt

2 1/2 cups chopped Walnuts  (optional)

**Easy: Brownie mix (enough for 9x13 pan)

Macaroon:

4 Egg Whites

2 1/2 cups sweetened shredded Coconut

1/4 cup Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Salt

**Easy:

(20 oz sweetened shredded Coconut & (1) 14 oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease 9x13 baking dish.

In a small sauce pan on medium heat, place butter and chocolate.

Stir constantly until butter and chocolate are melted and smooth.

Once smooth and combined remove from heat and set aside. 

For Brownies layer, Combine eggs & sugar.

Beat until light yellow and sugar has dissolved.

Add chocolate and Butter mixture.

Combine thoroughly.

Stir in Vanilla.

Add remaining ingredients, beat until mixture is smooth.

Will be dense and shiny.

Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Set aside.

**Easy: Prepare brownie mix as directed on box then pour into prepared baking dish.

Macaroon :

Beat Egg Whites until combined.

Add Sugar.

Beat until soft peaks form.

Add salt and vanilla, mix to combine.

Fold coconut into Egg white mixture.

Be sure to coat coconut with the mixture.

**Easy: Combine Coconut and Sweetened Condensed Milk

Spoon/Spread coconut mixture over top of Brownie mixture.

Bake at 350° 35-40 minutes.

Coconut will be golden and brownies done in center.

Fan Friday Feature: Yani Markham

Happy Friday Everyone! This post is absolutely one of my favorites to do.
I am highlighting someone who is a perfect example of why I do what I do!
Yani Markham is a wonderful South Floridian who is a consummate promoter and friend to Food is Love.

Photo Credit: Yani Markham

She goes out of her way to make sure Food is Love is mentioned where it should be and makes positive statements across the board.
Yani also consistently reminds me of my mission. I am here to help people to cook. Not just the pretty stuff, not just the really difficult show stopping cakes and lobster meals, but the everyday, I wanna make supper stuff.
She keeps me grounded.
I don't think she really knows what and inspiration she is.
A prime example would be the other day when I posted a photo on the Facebook page of a "piece of baked chicken" I hadn't made in 10 years. It was a chicken recipe my Mom made all of my life, and truthfully I didn't think it was "blog worthy". Yani made it crystal clear.
Her comment read: "Yani Markham I appreciate this a lot, I looked everywhere for that garlic chicken recipe but figured it was top secret ... lol. You may take your recipe's for granted cause you are awesome but to some of us (suckish cooks), every basic instruction helps! lol thanks again! :o)" Yani went on to say in her next comment: " Yani Markham U would be so proud, I made a really good meatloaf today, I'm still licking my fingers, not bad at all. Thanks for the motivation."
She has no idea what an inspiration She is... It's her and everyone like her, that I post for..every time I post! She is my reason for doing this. She is the reason I wrote a cookbook that contains 5 Ingredient Recipes. She is the reason I ask what everyone is making for dinner everyday! To give Everyone inspiration, motivation and confidence to eat at home and not the Drive thru!
Yani posted a photo on my Facebook page the other day that I want to share! Yani made Sloppy Joes!!!  I am thrilled that she shared it with us! I love that she is cooking and so enjoy hearing about it! 

Photo Credit: Yani Markham

Yani Thank YOU for all that you do for Food is Love and for being the voice in the back of my mind, when I think something isnt worth posting! You remind me of why I want to do this! I am proud to know you and proud to say you are the Food is Love Fan Friday Feature! :)

Baked Apple Pancake

A few days ago I received a comment from a Reader "Soxy Girl said...

We used to get these at Bickford's in New England with apples baked into them (with a little cinnamon and brown sugar). I may have to make this for breakfast on Sunday morning. :D"

The post she commented on was for the "German Pancake" I had made for a certain someone's birthday breakfast...

She was absolutely right! I know the pancake she spoke of. The pancake in that recipe is modeled after the "Bickfords" Baby or Big Apple that we loved and enjoyed from my New England upbringing. As I hadn't had it in years and never really knew how to make it, I looked up several recipes and came up with one I thought was as close as I could come. The one I made in that post was sans Apples and Cinnamon because I needed something light and the recipient had a pension for Pineapple!!!

To bring back old memories, I made it again and made it in Apple and Cinnamon form just for "Soxy Girl" a fellow New Englander, who is now in Atlanta Georgia!

Baked Apple Pancake

Ingredients:

Topping

3-4 medium Apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup Brown sugar

3/4 stick Butter (room temp)

3 Tbsp Cinnamon

Pancake batter

4 eggs
2 tbsp Butter (melted)
2/3 cup Flour (sifted)
2/3 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Sugar

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 400°

In a Cast Iron Skillet, Melt 3/4 stick of butter.

Remove from heat

Arrange apple slices  at bottom.

Top with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon.

Prepare Batter:

Beat Eggs, Milk and Sugar and Vanilla until light and fluffy.

Add Flour and Salt. 

Combine.

Add the 2 tbsp melted butter.

Mix well.

Pour batter over apples.

Bake in 400° oven for 40 minutes or until pancake is light, puffy and golden brown.

Remove from oven and invert onto serving platter.

Enjoy!

Kristine's Fish Tacos

Today I have the pleasure of featuring a Recipe and Photo shared by a "Friend/Fan"on the Food is Love Facebook Page. The Creator of the Recipe is Kristine Gerlach of "Go Play in the Kitchen"

I ask my Food is Love friends every morning, what they're having for dinner. One morning Kristine told us she was having Fish Tacos and sent us a photo to tease the heck out of us and inspire us to get going in making some!

Well it worked for me! Here is her pic:

Photo Credit: Kristine Gerlach, goplayinthekitchen.wordpress.com

Wanna try em now!?!? I'll bet you do!

Well stop on over and check out the full recipe @ Go Play in the Kitchen!

Thanks so much to Kristine for being a wonderful friend to Food is Love and freely offering her ideas and sharing her blog with Food is Love.

Her Fish Tacos are our first in the New Series

"Food is Love, Fan Fridays"

"Fan Fridays" are a chance for anyone to share their recipes, food related photos, videos and stories etc...

Once chosen, the story is then tagged with the "Featured on Fan Fridays" Badge

 and then posted here, to the Food is Love Blog then also to Foodbuzz, Cook Eat Share, Twitter and the Food is Love Facebook Page! It's an awesome opportunity to get your ideas out there! We Love our Fans and Friends and love sharing and inspiring them as much as they share and inspire us!

So enjoy Kristine's Fish Tacos and share YOUR ideas with us! You never know where it could take you!

Pastachetti

Have you seen the commercials for the *New* Pasta dish @ that franchise Italian Restaurant? Every time I see the commercial, I say to myself.."I can do that!"... Sometimes that works out and sometimes it goes horribly wrong.  Well this time I was right! Pastachetti was a breeze! It was as easy as I knew it would be!
We can do this one!
When I was growing up, "going out" to eat was a special treat...not an everyday occasion. So my Mom use to make sure that what we ordered wasn't something we could get at home. If my brother were to try to order Spaghetti...or something pasta related...ooohhh he got "that look" from across the table...or the cute lil tap at the back of the head...hehehehe. I knew better. Pasta was for home, period.
Now it can be so, for you too! This one's easy, easy, easy...

Pastachetti

Ingredients:

8 oz Ricotta Cheese

2 eggs (beaten)

1 tbsp Oregano (dry)

1 tbsp Basil (dry)

1 tbsp Garlic (minced or crushed)

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 tbsp Olive Oil (preferably garlic olive oil)

16 oz Mozzarella Cheese (portioned in 8 oz portions)

8 oz Parmesan Cheese

6 Lasagna Noodles

White sauce of your choice. (my recipe is at bottom)

Instructions:

Boil Lasagna noodles per package directions. Drain and lay flat on damp paper towels.

Cover with damp paper towels.

In medium Mixing bowl, combine Ricotta and beaten eggs. Mix until fluffy.

Add Garlic & Spices. Combine.

Fold in 8 oz of the Mozzarella and 4 oz of the Parmesan, combine well.

**Note: if Ricotta is "watery" strain ricotta through a cheesecloth or paper towel to remove excess water.

Set mixture aside

In a separate bowl combine remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Set aside.

Preheat Oven to 375°

When ready to fill pasta with filling. Spoon 3-4 tblsp of filling into center of pasta sheet. Be careful when handling, pasta easily tears. Small tears can be dealt with pretty easily. :)

Fold Pasta over the Filling

If you have a split, fold that side first as seen here...

Fold remaining side over to complete the Pasta Roll.

Pour 3 tbslp Olive Oil into bottom of shallow baking pan.

Place each pasta roll into the baking pan seam side down.

Sometimes they split the other way too...

Just try to get them as close to the bottom of the pan as possible.

They'll crisp and close up :)

Sprinkle remaining Cheese Mixture at top of each roll

as seen here...

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until top of each roll is golden and cheese in the center is firm.

(edges will brown a little also)

**Notes:

This dish can be served solo with a nice creamy sauce, salad and breadsticks...or you can do as I did here:

I added Sauteed Italian Sausage and Peppers. Yummyyyyyy...

You are able to use any sauce you like. A Jarred Alfredo or White sauce is perfectly fine.

I used a white sauce because I wanted to go as close to what I saw in the commercial as possible.

Here's my White sauce:

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Flour

4 tbsp Butter

2 cups Cream or Half and Half

1 tbsp Basil (fresh)

2 tsp Lemon

1 tbsp Lemon Zest

Instructions:

In small sauce pan melt butter. Stir in Flour. Continue stirring until flour reaches a golden color.

Reduce heat to medium. Add Cream. Bring to boil, once sauce thickens remove from heat. Add Basil and lemon. Serve.

This sauce can be modified by changing the herb...or substituting white wine for the lemon...can add Parmesan, Gruyere...it's a basic white sauce that can be made into anything you want really...

**The other thing I found when eating the dish was that, a great Bolognese would be fantastic with this!

This would also be Fantastic with shrimp or lobster added to the cheese filling..WOW!

Once you make it the first time and eat it..It will inspire you in all directions!

Enjoy!

Slice of Summer... Watermelon Pie

An awesome Summer Dessert Watermelon Pie will be a Summer Staple at your house!

Just have fun and Enjoy!!!   Welcome Summer!!! 
____________________________________________RECIPE

Drive-Thru Killers...

Lately I have been posting pics of different dishes I have done and not posting recipes...if the influx of Email is an indication, I think this might not be the best thing to do. I have to Thank you all for being so sweet with your little email requests..like this one:  "That pic is making me drool, WHERE IS THE RECIPE"????? lol... Your Facebook posts are even funnier sometimes.... "WOW...are we getting the recipe, I have to make this Today???"
I have to admit, sometimes I think that what I make isn't recipe/publish worthy...or "Why would anyone want My recipe for baked chicken?" Then again, I am always very much humbled by the requests I get for recipes.
I have come to understand, that it isn't that it is My recipe, but it might be something very different than what someone else makes...simple as that.
So in the interest of cleaning things up..Here are a few of the photos I published, without recipes and their perspective recipe. Thank You again, for being interested! I love your company in my Kitchen! Come back Anytime!

Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
              4-6 Chicken Thighs
                   1/2 stick Butter
                   7 cloves Garlic
                     4-5 Tbsp 
             Complete Seasoning
                   Salt & Pepper
This has to be the easiest and tatiest chicken you will ever make. I use Chicken thighs to bake chicken. The reasons for this are 1.) On the bone chicken is always juicier and 2.) Dark meat is always more tender and easier to cook than white meat. If you choose white meat, I would suggest keeping it on the bone until you serve. Nobody needs to know you cooked it on the bone. Just take it off the bone before putting it on the serving platter. (just be sure to let it rest 5 minutes first).Anyway....the recipe:
This first part should be done before hand. Can be a day before or night before or morning before. :)
I first take 7 cloves of garlic and "warm" them in a 1/4 cup olive oil on the stove-top over Medium LOW heat. This process is a slow one..but sooo worth it.
Once the garlic is soft, spoon it into a small dish and add 1/2 stick of room temp butter. Combine the garlic and butter. Mash the garlic into the butter. Then refrigerate until firm again. (Oh, by the way save the olive oil in a bottle. It's wonderful over pasta, bruschetta, warm from the oven rolls, and fantastic to saute shrimp in with a lil red pepper...thats another story Wow!)
When you're ready to go to the chicken, Preheat your oven to 400-425.
Remove your chicken thighs from their package. Dry them with a paper towel.
Loosen the skin over the meat of the thigh, with your fingers.
Spread the "garlic butter" under the skin.
(I use my fingers here too, but I use all of my butter, if you wont be using it all for your chicken, portion out what you'll need for the chicken and set the rest aside. Careful not to cross contaminate your butter..Yuck (raw chicken fingers in butter used for something else...ewww) ). Be safe :)
Wrap the skin tightly over the whole thigh. (my butcher sometimes leave an exorbitant amount of skin on my chicken, but in this case it's a good thing. I want the skin..It gets sooo crispy! Yum).
So now your chicken is tightly wrapped with the skin. Salt and Pepper Liberally. Sprinkle liberally with "Complete Seasoning". This is my go-to spice conglomerate of choice. If you like Mrs Dash, go for it. It's great here! If you like Lemon Pepper..really good too. I use Complete Seasoning because of the range of spice and cost. Mrs Dash is kinda expensive in the quantities I use it. :) Think I should start blending my own actually. Geez..thats even another story....Anyway back to the Chicken, Place the thighs in a 9x13 baking dish. Place in your 400-425 oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes lower oven to 375. Bake Chicken for additional 40 minutes or until crispy and when poked juices run clear. It is sooo good, you'll like it better than fried chicken. No more Colonel you know who for You!

What else did I make? Oh !! I made Homemade Big Macs!! Yummyyy... Did you see it???

This is a Drive-Thru killer If I ever saw one! Sometimes I get a hankering for a Fast Food Burger, but once I acquiesce I regret it with indigestion and well...I'll leave the rest to your imagination. So i really had to know what I liked and how to make it myself, because the alternative just wasn't worth the unpleasantries...
This burger is simply a double cheeseburger divided by a burger bun bottom (or top squeezed down), with all the fixins of a Mc' Drive-Thru burger.
Lettuce, diced onions, dill pickle slices and "Special Sauce". I have heard others say that they just substitute a "thousand island dressing" for the "special sauce", but I just wasn't satisfied that it did it for me. I had to delve deeper.
I think I have nailed it! I'd love it if you tried it and let me know :)
Burger Special Sauce
1 cup Mayo
1/2 cup Sweet or Dill Pickle Relish (strained)
1/4 cup Ketchup
3 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Apple cider Vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper. Taste. If it needs a little more tang add lemon. If you use Dill pickle relish, check to see if it needs salt..probably not. If you used sweet pickle relish, will need salt and good amount of pepper. Refrigerate sauce for 1 hour prior to using. (This thickens it a bit) If you'd like you can use diced pickles instead of the relish, this reduces the liquid. Again just be wary of the salt content of your pickles.
Assembly:
On the bottom bun place 2 tbsp sauce
Top with 1 Cheeseburger
Top with small diced onions
Top with middle bun choice
Top that with 2nd burger
Top burger with onion, dill pickle slices and lettuce.
Place 2 tbsp Sauce on top of bun.
"Squish" together and ENJOY!!!!

Hope I have inspired you to stay away from the Drive-thru even more that I usually do. Beating the big guys at their own game is definitely a Win-Win for all of us!
Thanks for stopping by :)