Tag: tomatoes

Layered Salad in a Jar

layered salad in a jar
After a weekend in Atlanta helping our daughter move, it is clear that people are ready to be out and about. From the cars in business parking lots, you would never know this country, or the world has been through all that it has with the coronavirus.

I have the itch to travel, and I’m sure I’m not alone. I am not even picky at this point. A trip to the beach would be fabulous, but I would take the mountains too. I am ready for some time away from home more than I can even explain. The thing is, I am still a little hesitant in making any plans. I am not comfortable flying right now, and I do not think I am ready to stay in a hotel either.

Greg and I bought a camper in November and have taken it out a few times. Never really far away, but as it turns out, our timing may have been perfect. Hooking up the camper and driving somewhere should be relatively safe. Maybe we will see a few state parks this year!

Planning the menu for camping is always fun, and these layered salads in a jar are a perfect, easy, and delicious lunch! These would also be great for a picnic or beach day.

Print

Layered Salad in a Jar

Course Salad
Servings 12
Author Amye Melton

Equipment

  • 12 (1-pint) wide-mouth canning jars with lids

Ingredients

  • Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)
  • 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons mild honey
  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • Salad:
  • 1 pound orzo pasta
  • 1 (16-ounce) bag baby greens, spinach, arugula, or romaine
  • 5 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives coarsely chopped
  • 1 cucumber coarsely chopped with peel
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano, or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

Instructions

  • TO MAKE THE DRESSING: In a boel, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the feta. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • TO MAKE THE SALAD: In a large pot, cook the orzo in salted water according to the package directions. Drain and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking. Put the orzo in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the dressing, set aside.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the green onions, tomatoes, olives, and cucumber, set aside.
  • In a separate small bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup feta and the oregano, set aside.
  • TO ASSEMBLE THE LAYERS: Have 12 (1-pint) wide-mouth canning jars with lids ready.
  • Spoon 1/3 cup of the orzo into the bottom of each jar, and follow with 1 layer each of the following; 1/4 cup green onion-tomato-olive-cucumber mix, 2 teaspoons feta-oregano mix, and 1/2 cup packed greens. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the dressing on top of each salad.
  • Top with lids and refrigerate until needed.
  • To serve, shake the jar to distribute the dressing.

Notes

The dressing and orzo can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.  Assemble the salad in jars up to 6 hours before it is to be served.  Keep it cold until serving time.  

Italian Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

Italian Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

What a year 2019 has been! I know that you thought I had disappeared! I’m still here! I have wanted to post, but quite honestly, life is for living, and I have lived it this year. As I have mentioned in previous posts, our son married his soulmate, Ashley, in June, in our yard. We spend the first five months of the year working in the yard! Also, our daughter, Savannah, graduated college and moved to Atlanta to start her career. In fact, we moved Savannah and had a wedding all within two weeks.

Everything has worked out well, and I am one proud mother! However, I suppose being an empty nester is an adjustment.

I feel like I am finally settling into this new season in my life. Have you ever had one of those moments where you just sit back, take a deep breath, and know everything is okay? That is how I’m feeling right about now.

With that being said, I am going to start reposting some of my old recipes I removed from the blog back when I had decided to shut the blog down. I have had so many people contact me trying to find some of the favorites. I hope you enjoy seeing some of your old favorites again!

Thanks for sticking with me through life!

Amye

My longtime friend, Loretta, shared this fantastic Italian Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup with me several years ago. It’s not one of those show simmering soups for the crockpot, but it is still incredibly simple to make without spending hours in the kitchen. Serve with toasty garlic bread and a salad for a delicious meal!

Italian Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. Italian sausage
  • 1 c. chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 5 c. beef broth
  • ½ c. water
  • ½ c. red wine
  • 2 (14½-oz.) cans Italian diced tomatoes
  • 1 c. thinly diced carrots
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1½ c. diced zucchini
  • 3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 8 to 9-oz. fresh cheese tortellini pasta
  • fresh basil
  • grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Remove casing from sausage and brown sausage. Drain and set aside.
  2. In the meantime, cut zucchini in half and scrap out seeds. Discard seeds and dice zucchini, set aside.
  3. Saute onions and garlic in same pan.
  4. Stir in beef broth, water, red wine, diced tomatoes, carrots, oregano, and tomato sauce.
  5. Add cooked sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  6. Skim any fat from top. Stir in zucchini and parsley and simmer 30 minutes.
  7. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

 

Chicken Caprese Salad (Keto, Low-Carb, GF)

Chicken Caprese Salad

Breaking old habits is not an easy thing to do. Changing a lifetime of bad eating habits is undeniably one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.  As good as I have been on this diet there have been times, recently, that I could see myself slipping back into my old habits. Keto is rather easy for me when I’m doing it as I should. However, when I am sneaking bites of cheesecake or rolls here and there the struggle returns.

Sugar is toxic to me. I now say that sugar is the root of all evil. Sugar is the devil. Just a little bit and my body, or maybe it’s just my mind, wants more. I recently saw this online, and I’m seriously thinking of framing it for my kitchen. Perhaps I need it tattooed on my hand! “YOU WON’T ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BE DISCIPLINED.”

The first few months of keto I was motivated. More motivated than I have ever been about food.  Right now I am trying to learn discipline. It is not an easy thing to do for a gal that has never had a great deal of it with food. Oh sure, I have been on diets all my life, but as soon as the motivation wore off, I was right back to old habits. This time will be different.

I am up 2 pounds with a total loss now of 23 pounds. I jumped back on the keto train this week, and my goal is to learn discipline. Am I alone in this battle or are there others that can relate to me?

Here is one of my all-time favorite recipes. Chicken Caprese Salad is a recipe that Savannah shared with me during her first year of college. She was living with a couple of friends at school, and she would spend Sunday afternoons doing meal prep for the week. She is still great at meal prep, which is something I would love to do.

This salad is bursting with freshness and is terrific with chicken. It can be made with steak as well, but please adjust the macros.

Chicken Caprese Salad
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Print
 
Ingredients
  • Dressing:
  • ¼ c. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tsp. Swerve brown sugar replacement
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • Salad:
  • 12 oz. chicken tenders
  • 5 c. Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
  • 1 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • ½ c. mini fresh mozzarella balls
  • ¼ c fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • Salt and black pepper, to season
Instructions
  1. Whisk vinegar, oil, Swerve, garlic, dried basil and salt together to combine. Place uncooked chicken in a shallow dish; pour a small amount of dressing over chicken and toss around to coat. Reserve unused dressing for later.
  2. Heat grill or a small amount of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through, set aside and allow to rest.
  3. Slice chicken into strips and prepare salad with lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella and chicken. Top with fresh basil. Drizzle with reserved dressing; season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve.
Notes
Nutritional Info:
Net Carbs: 6g.; Fat: 26 g.; Protein: 46 g; Calories: 452

 

Breakfast Skillet for One (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten Free)

 

Breakfast Skillet for One (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten Free)

Keto seems to be the hot topic on social media and among people that I see on a regular basis. I’m not sure if I notice it more now that I try to live a keto lifestyle or if it has become all the rage. Either way, it seems there are many ways that keto can be done, and it appears that weight loss can happen with each one.
It is understandable since weight loss is such a personal thing. What works for one may not work for another.
I have found that mama was right, a good breakfast is essential to start the day. It seems if I fuel up with a good breakfast my whole day goes better. I focus better and stay on any task better, and I don’t think about cheating or eating off plan.
This Breakfast Skillet for One has become my go-to breakfast. First and most importantly, it is delicious. I have several ways that I change it up for a little variety. It’s fast and filling, and I eat from the same skillet I prepare it in.
I always keep fresh tomatoes, but this can be made with canned diced tomatoes. I have never tried the canned tomatoes, so if it’s something you want to try you would need to figure out the amount to use and the macros.
I have used spinach and arugula. I have topped it with shredded cheese or added goat cheese. I have even used a bit of sausage when making the skillet for Greg. Feel free to change this up but always calculate your macros if you are keeping up with them.

Breakfast Skillet for One (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten Free)
Print Pin

Breakfast Skillet for One (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten Free)

Course Breakfast
Servings 1
Calories 321kcal
Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 c. chopped tomato
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 c. fresh spinach
  • 2 lg. eggs
  • salt
  • fresh chives

Instructions

  • Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  
  • Add olive oil and heat.
  • Add chopped tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add spinach and cook under wilted.
  • Make a two wells in mixture with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each well.  
  • Cover with a lid, reduce heat too low, and set timer for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • When the eggs have cooked as desired, remove from heat.  
  • Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition Facts:
321 calories; 5 g. net carbs; 26 g. fat; 16 g. protein

 

Greek Cucumber Salad

greek-cucumber-salad

Our garden has taken just about all of the long hot days and rain that it can at this point. Greg has already pulled up some of the plants, and we gather very little from the others now.

We are still getting a few cucumbers though, and I think they may be my favorite part of the garden anyway. I enjoy them sliced with a little lemon pepper or in the delicious cucumber salsa I shared with you recently or in a number of salads.

One of my favorite salads is this Greek Cucumber Salad. The vinaigrette with the fresh vegetables and tangy feta cheese works wonderfully together. Its light and refreshing and works as a great side dish for any meal!

Greek Cucumber Salad
 
Author:
Print
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 c. small tomatoes halved or Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ½ c. onion, sliced
  • ¼ Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 2 lemons, or more to taste
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ c. crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds. Chop into ¼ to ½-inch pieces.
  2. Combine the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onion and olive in a large bowl, set aside.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper. Taste to see if you need to make any adjustments.
  4. Pour over the cucumber mixture and toss. Sprinkle with feta cheese and mix.