Simple Sides for Summer!

In the summer, simplicity is the name of the game!  I love light, healthy, simple food.  So here are two recipes for two super easy and sooo delicious sides!

Carrot Salad

Ingredients

1 bag shredded carrots

1 cup olive oil

1 lemon (juiced)

salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix, let marinate 10 minutes and Enjoy!

Garden Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

3 TBLS canola oil

1 1/2 cups rice

1 red onion diced

1/2 green pepper diced

2 cups water

2 lemons juiced

1 cup peas (frozen)

1 tsp oregano

salt to taste

Saute red onion in canola oil with salt over medium heat.  When brown add green pepper and saute.   Saute rice until slightly brown and giving off a nutty aroma.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and add two cups of water, lemon juice, peas,  salt and oregano.  Simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and then of course Enjoy!

We served our two sides with grilled chicken with a feta cheese dressing.. oh Yum!

I am sharing with

Love,

Pinkapotamus

Best Macaroni and Cheese EVA!

Today was a bad day... and when I say bad I mean BAD!  I have suffered from asthma for years now and usually run to control it.. but today after several days of not feeling good.. I just couldn'nt breathe.  Needless to say I took a quick trip to the hospital, had a couple of breathing treatments, got several new prescriptions and am feeling MUCH better! 

Sometimes when I'm feeling bad I find that some really yummy comfort is in order.  So tonight for dinner I wanted something super yummy and quick, my own 30 minute meal so to speak.  So I made my favorite Macaroni and Cheese from scratch!  Here's the recipe so you can enjoy too!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk (any % depending on how lowfat you want it)

1 package of any kind of shredded cheese

1 lb package of pasta (I like elbows best)

1 package of frozen broccoli or peas

The RUE!

Okay for those of you who don't know what a rue is it is a wonderful base for ANY cream sauce.  It is really versatile and super easy to make.. and it sound fancy when you tell people about it!  So here goes.

In a sauce pan heat the butter over medium heat until melted. 

Once melted whisk in the flour until mixed.. do not let it BURN! 

Then add in all of the milk and whisk until it comes to a boil. 

Once it has boiled, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. 

In another pot on the stove boil your water for pasta.   Once you have thrown in the pasta to boil add the cheese to your rue. 

Turn off the heat and set aside.  Drain the pasta and then toss together with the cheese sauce and your vegetable. 

Then sit down and eat up!    Here's what ours looked like with some grilled chicken and steamed broccoli.

Now since I was not feeling well.. I did not get much crafting done.  However, I did finish a custom order that I was working on and come to think of it, it was made with all materials that I had in my stash.. So we'll just call it stashbusting project #2.  I am pretty proud of it as it is the first Fox that I have ever made.  Hope you like it!

By the way, I was just wondering if I am the only one out there who keeps both their kitchen aid for baking and their cricut for crafting on the counter in the kitchen?

Love,

Pinkapotamus