Crunchy Asian Pasta Salad

I'm all giddy and excited.

My in-laws are coming for a vacation.

They are coming in tomorrow on John's birthday, so they'll be here to celebrate with us on the 4th.

We do the 4th of July up pretty good here. I just love this holiday. I love the American flag and nothing makes me happier then seeing red, white and blue everywhere I look.

It's all about the firecrackers (which are finally legal here in RI), and sunny skies, dips in the pool, flip-flops, cold watermelon, deliciousness cooking on the grill, and precious time spent with family and friends.

No presents, no obligations to buy the perfect gift, just a time together, relaxing and chillin'.

Here's a really terrific salad that would be great to take to a 4th of July celebration.

I don't really think this salad is "Asian" at all. I mean just cause you throw Oriental Ramen in it, does not make is Asian, but it is good. I substituted the broccoli slaw for the coleslaw mix that was in the original recipe. I also added in pumpkin seeds that I got in the bulk section at Whole Foods.

This is very similar to the famous "man salad" or "ramen salad" that everyone I know makes. I love the addition of the mandarin oranges and pea pods. Yum!

Crunchy Asian Pasta Salad
adapted from a recipe at Betty Crocker.com

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad classic pasta mix
1 pkg (3oz) Oriental flavored Ramen Soup Mix
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bag broccoli slaw
1 cup snow peas or sugar snap peas, cut on the diagonal into ½ inch pieces
1/4 - 1/2 cup sliced, toasted almonds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cans (15oz) mandarin oranges, drained

Empty the pasta mix into a pot of boiling water. Gently boil for 10 – 12 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and shake to drain again.

In a large bowl stir together the seasoning mixes from the pasta and the soup mix, sugar, oil, vinegar, water and soy sauce. Add the pasta and the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine.

Just before serving, coarsely crush the dry noodles from the soup mix and stir into the pasta mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate.



I won't be in front of the computer much during the next week or so. I'll be scare for a bit while I prep for the 4th and then enjoy time with my in-laws

So will you all do me a favor this weekend? Pretty please.

Kick your feet up. Empty your mind from worries. Relax and enjoy. Connect with the people you love. Laugh...hard.

Remember these are the moment that make up your life. Cherish them.

Enjoy your 4th of July celebrations!

Wordless Wednesday~ Purple Bells

Right Now~

In my mug: milk

In my belly: corn flakes and blueberries.

First harvest: garlic scapes! I have lots of 'em!




Last song I listened to: Queen - The Days of our Lives (I still miss Freddie)

I am thankful for: Friends who think of me wherever they are. Tati brought me back these stones from a beach on Long Island.



Cool website I recently found: An illustrated cooking blog. So beautiful! Kok Blog.

Last site I browsed: Anthropologie. Oh my. Now I would like:

This mug. How adorable and so "me".



This aged herb pot....love the color.



oh and this little birdie bottle opener. I have a "thing" for birds.

Didn't I tell you? I think it started with the all the birdhouses. It's hard for me to pass up anything will a cute little bird on it.



On the nightstand: several half read magazines, mostly foodie ones, just finished a Linda McCartney bio.


Newest addiction:


Almond Joy Pieces – M&M sized almond joys! This is so not what my waistline needs Hershey Company (but I thank you with all my heart for them anyway).

We bought these for the ice cream sundae bar we had for Jesse's birthday party and as I was getting ready to put these in a bowl, John grabbed a handful and said "No way are these going into the sundae bar, I'm hiding these suckers for myself".

He actually did hide them so the kids wouldn't eat them!

On my mind: Anticipation. My in-laws will be here Saturday and I can't wait!

Watching daily: my veggies growing. They are really taking off. Now it's just weed a little, water, and watch.

Can't wait to: harvest those veggies and eat them!

Feeling: Content.




Can I just say contentment is like the best feeling ever. If you haven't tried it I highly recommend it.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins Revisited (again)

These muffins are famous.

Maybe not famous to everyone across the whole wide U S of A, but they are pretty darn famous around these parts and even stretching into the Ohio Valley (my mother in law routinely makes them in OH, she even shares!)

I've even had a few of my blogger friends make these and post about them.

I came across this recipe years and years ago. From whom, I don't even remember. If I did remember I would thank them for pointing me towards this terrific recipe that I have made and posted about, not once, not twice, but three times now.

I've never blogged about any recipe three times people.

These muffins are that good.




A crunchy struesely topping covering a moist and blueberry filled center.

You don't need to remember to let the butter soften.

You don't need to drag out your mixer.

You can use fresh blueberries, or you can use frozen ones.

It's a laid back, easy kinda recipe.



Grab a couple of bowls and a few spoons.

Whip up a batch for a lazy Sunday breakfast, or a hectic Monday morning.

Double it cause this recipe only makes 10, and let me tell you, 10 is not enough.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
enough milk to fill one cup
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease the muffin cups or use muffin liners.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk to mix. Place the vegetable oil into a 1-cup measuring cup and add the egg and vanilla. Pour in enough milk to fill it to the 1-cup line. Pour this into the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Don’t over mix! Gently fold in the blueberries. The batter will be thick.

Fill the muffin cups to the top. I used an ice cream scoop and one scoop filled them perfectly.

To make crumb topping:

Mix together the brown sugar, flour, cubed butter and cinnamon. Using a pasty blender or a fork combine until the butter is pea sized. Sprinkle over the muffins before baking. I used a heaping tablespoon for each one. Trust me, heaping mounds of topping are a good thing.

Bake 20 - 25 minutes in a preheated oven or until they test done. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, and then remove from pan to cool on a rack. Eat warm if possible!

German Chocolate Brownies

Ok so you take a brownie that’s already delicious on it’s own without anything else on it, then you add brown sugar, cream cheese, coconut and pecans and that perfectly delicious “naked” brownie is now transformed into a German Chocolate Brownie.

These are ridiculously easy to make. Yes they use a prepared brownie mix, that’s where the easy part comes in. Don't you even roll your eyes at me.

John loves these. He’s big into the whole German Chocolate thing. The brownie is prepared as a "cake like" brownie. Don't make them "fudgy" or this recipe just won't work.



German Chocolate Brownies
1 pkg brownie mix (19 – 20 ounce size)
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into smaller pieces
4 oz (half of an 8 oz pkg) cream cheese
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Oven to 350. Prepare brownie mix as directed on package for cake like brownies. Pour batter into greased 9x13 inch pan.

Place butter, and cream cheese in small saucepan and cook on medium heat until cream cheese is completely melted. Don’t worry if it looks a bit curdled, it will come together when you add in the remaining ingredients. Stir in the brown sugar and take the mixture off the heat. Add the coconut and pecans and mix well. Mixture will be thick. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture all over the top brownie batter.

Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. Cool before devouring.

Wordless Wednesday~ Last lick.

Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks

I'm a leek lover.

Most of you guys know that. I love it when leeks are the ingredient in a recipe. As I scan the ingredient list, I actually will say out loud "oh yeah, leeks!"

Imagine my delight when I see a recipe with leeks in the title! Now add the word cheddar and penne. Oh Lordy stop me now.



Use a good cheddar when you make this. I just sounded like Ina, but it's true. You want a nice sharp cheddar. I picked mine up at Trader Joes.

I served this with a big salad. It was perfect. The right blend of cheesiness and creaminess from the leeks, and I love how the ends crisp up and get all crunchy. My favorite part!

Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks
adapted from a recipe from Bon Appetit
¼ cup butter (½ stick)
5 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only, about 5 large leeks)
¼ cup all purpose flour
3 ½ cups whole milk
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 large eggs
1 pound penne pasta

Lightly butter a 15x10x2 inch-baking dish. Melt ¼ cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, stir to coat. Cover the saucepan and cook until the leeks are tender, stirring occasionally (about 12 minutes). Do not let them brown. Uncover the saucepan and add the flour. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the milk. Bring it to a simmer, stirring often. Add the cheese, mustard and pepper sauce. Stir until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat. Season with salt to taste.

Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cheese sauce. Stir egg mixture into the cheese sauce in a saucepan.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and return to pot.

Stir cheese sauce into the pasta in the pot. Transfer to a prepared baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 400. Bake until cheese is bubbling around the edges and some of the pasta is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Let stand 15 minutes. Serve hot.