This salad called for a vast array of ingredients, and I was skeptical at how it would all taste together…but hey, don’t knock it till you try it (that also goes for MOST areas of life). So I tried it…and SHOULDN’T have knocked it!
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Watermelon Cucumber Salad
Ingredients - ½ Red Onion - 4 cups diced Watermelon - 1 cucumber- Fresh Mint (thinly sliced) - Cashews - ¼ cup olive oil - Lemon Juice (from ½ lemon) - Salt - Goat Cheese Directions - Soak 1/2 thinly sliced red onion in cold water - Pat dry 4 cups diced watermelon and 1 seeded and sliced cucumber - toss with a handful of thinly sliced mint - Drain the onion, squeeze dry and add to the salad - Add some chopped cashews - Add 1/4 cup olive oil - Add the lemon juice - season with salt and toss- Top with crumbled goat cheese.
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First step – always prepare the ingredients!
So I sliced up the onion, watermelon, cucumber, and mint. I soaked the onion, and patted dry the watermelon and cucumber. I tossed in the watermelon and cucumber with the fresh mint leaves (from our CSA program!) and the added the onion, olive oil, cashews, and lemon juice (I really could use a juicer…>cough.giftidea.cough<. I tossed the ingredients (left out the salt) then added in the goat cheese (not normally a fan of it).
When it was all put together it was VERY tasty! I was still skeptical looking at it as a while, but my taste buds sure were happy! I would DEF make this again, and eat it poolside!
For the 4th of July I decided to get festive…with a TRIFLE!! (No, not a TRUFFLE). I was looking around for a fun 4th recipe, and lo and behold I stumbled upon a Patriotic Trifle Recipe. It looked “totes” delish and not too hard (plus the ingredients are super yummy).
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Patriotic Trifle Recipe
Ingredients - 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin - 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin I used sugar-free - 2 cups boiling water - 1 cup cold water
- 2 cups cold whole milk I used 2% milk - 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix - 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
- 1 pint fresh blueberries - 1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered
- 1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes I made the box kind - didn’t buy it prepared
Directions - In two small bowls, combine each gelatin flavor with 1 cup boiling water - Stir 1/2 cup cold water into each - Pour each into an ungreased 9-in. square pan - Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set - In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes - Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set - Fold in 2 cups whipped topping - Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup strawberries for garnish - Cut the gelatin into 1-in. cubes - In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or serving dish, layer the strawberry gelatin, half of the cake cubes, the remaining blueberries and half of the pudding mixture - Top with blue gelatin and remaining cake cubes, strawberries and pudding mixture - Garnish with reserved berries and remaining whipped topping - Serve immediately.
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First up – I needed a trifle dish. I couldn’t use just a regular bowl because then how would you see the sweet layers?!?!!? Luckily I tracked one down for like $10 – but it was AWFULLY big!
So I started off with the Jell-O first. I made it like the recipe above (which wasn’t the same as the box). I think next time I’ll make it like the box says (to get more out of it). I let that harden overnight.
While the Jell-O was chilling, I made the angel food cake (followed the box directions) and let it cool overnight.
The next day…it was time to piece everything together!!!!
But first…I had to make the pudding.
I made the pudding according to above (only used 2 cups of milk instead of the 4 I would use according to the 2 boxes). Then I realized it wouldn’t make a lot of pudding, so I put in the other 2 cups of milk……then I realized instead of the extra 2 cups I put in I was supposed to use 2 cups of cool whip to make it fluffier. GREAT! Now I’m out 2 boxes of pudding. LUCKILY roomster had a package of vanilla pudding she said I could use, and I had a pack of pudding as well. But mine wasn’t vanilla…it was banana cream. Oh well. I used it anyways. So now I made it CORRECTLY and it was a vanilla-banana-cream-whip-cream pudding mix. Ended up tasting totally awesome!
While that set in the fridge I started on the layers.
First layer into the trifle dish was strawberry jelly (I had cut it into squares first), then angel food cake (I also had cut into squares first, but you can also just tear it), then blueberries, and topped with pudding.
At this point I realized just how big my trifle dish was….it wasn’t even half full yet!!
Time for the next layer…blueberry Jell-O, angel food cake, strawberries, then topped with the rest of the pudding.
NOW it was half full!! Next time I either need to make double the recipe, or find a smaller Trifle dish.
It looked very pretty, and patriotic….and tasted even better!!!
This is DEF a dessert I would gladly make again, it was SUPER easy!!
I fell upon this recipe and decided to try it out since I LOVE my crock pot (Christmas present from my sister a few years back). I tossed everything in the crock pot and left for the day.
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BBQ Chicken Crock Style
Ingredients:
- 1 fryer chicken, or 4 to 6 breasts
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Place chicken in slow-cooker
- Mix all other ingredients and pour over chicken
- Cook over low for at least 8 hours
- Serve over rice, pasta, or as sandwiches.
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Of course I thought we had a ton brown sugar so I didn’t buy any. Turns out we had a ton of CONFECTIONARY sugar (UGH!) so luckily my neighbor had some brown sugar he let me use. (Note: when brown sugar gets hard, and you put it in the microwave to soften it up – DO NOT LEAVE IT UNATTENDED, as it starts to turn into lava).
Once I let the crock pot cook for 8 hours, I actually ate the chicken in a hotdog bun (didn’t have burger buns). It was a little dry (but most white meat is) but was still tasty. It’s NOTHING like my brother-in-laws homemade north Carolina BBQ…mmmmmmm….mouth watering already….but it’s not too shabby.
Looking for some easy (and some healthy) recipes to try out? Well look no further! Check out my recipes and give them a try! Don't think they look easy...you're HIGHLY mistaken, as these recipes are April-proof so you know they're hard to mess up!
I've left my home country of good 'ol USA to travel and teach all over the world. I am currently in Hanoi, Vietnam. Read my blog to find out what adventures I am getting into!
First step – always prepare the ingredients! 
