Caesar Pasta Salad

Ok this is how I feel about pasta salad: BORING!!



Seriously, it's all the same.
Don't get me wrong. Pasta salad has its place. It's a great summer side dish.

I'm just so over the same pasta salad at every single barbecue.
Pasta. Italian dressing. Pepperoni.



So when I was asked to bring a pasta salad to a summer party, I went searching for something NOT doused in italian dressing.

Ok. So this is doused in caesar dressing. BUT it's delicious. And it's different.



So next time you're asked to one of those "bring a dish to pass" summer gatherings, try this salad instead.

Caesar Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 16 oz box rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups creamy Caesar salad dressing
1 lemon, zest and juice
4 tbsp fresh parsley
1/2-1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup garlic croutons
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions on box. Drain and rise with cold water.
Combine salad dressing, lemon zest and juice, and parsley. Add pasta and remaining ingredients.
Serve chilled.

Note: I tossed extra caesar dressing on it right before I served, because no one likes a dry pasta salad. ;)

Recipe slightly adapted from: Sandra Lee

Peanut Butter Crispies

I don't even know if Peanut Butter Crispies is really the right name for this. 

I mean, they are peanut-butter-ey. 

And they are crispy. 

But there aren't any "Krispies" as per usual in a "Krispy Treat."

But we're not being literal with this dessert. 

Literal would be titled "Peanut Butter Marshmallow Honey Bunches of Oats and Frosted Flakes drizzled with Peanut Butter and Fudge Treats."

And we both know THATS not going to happen. 

So, Peanut Butter Crispies it is. 

Anywho, one day I was like "Hey husband, why aren't there any delicious treats in this house?!" And he was all, "I don't know? How come you never make any delicious treats for us to eat right now?" 

Doesn't really make sense. 

Okay, what really happened was I was like, "I'm hungry and want snacks now!" And then I went and made a full pan of all the sweet stuff I could muster up. 

True story? Husband ate almost the entire pan himself. 

(Snack thief)

Peanut Butter Crispies

Ingredients:

3 cups Honey Bunches of Oats cereal

2 cups Frosted Flakes cereal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 7oz container marshmallow fluff

2 tbsp (each) melted peanut butter and fudge for drizzling (optional)

Directions:

Heat 1/2 cup peanut butter and container of marshmallow fluff in a pan over medium heat until completely melted and combined. 

Mix the cereal and PB/marshmallow mixture and press into a lightly greased 9x9 brownie pan. Drizzle with peanut butter and fudge and let chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. 

Instant gratification people. 

Banana Bread

There's something about starting a blog that requires you to write in it sometimes. 

Oh yea. 

It's that you are required to write in it sometimes. 

I guess I got confused. 

But really I just got busy. Once summer rolls around stuff happens, people travel, amazing and wonderful things take place. And I find myself avoiding the computer. I live in Michigan, so you have to understand that we get approximately three months (and three months only) where the weather reaches temperatures ABOVE 40. It's amazing. 

So I hope you will understand when I show up late for the blog party. Or whatever. 

IT'S SUMMER! 

All of that being said, I have still been cooking and baking. (And eating.) 

Check out this banana bread! 

Banana bread is not a very "summery" treat. I know. I get it.

BUT I had overripe bananas in my freezer and a late night craving. So bear with me. 

I hope you know about overripe bananas. But hey, if you don't it's okay. I'll tell you. 

When your bananas get brown and gross looking...toss them in the freezer. Then when you are laying on the couch at 11 o'clock at night and suddenly need banana bread slathered in homemade cinnamon honey butter, you'll be prepared. 

Toss the frozen bananas in a warm water bath for 5 or so minutes and when they thaw you can squeeze the banana goo out of the peels for perfect banana bread. 

(I know...banana goo is not the most appetizing description...especially when my job is to make this appetizing. But I'm just calling it like it is.)

So I've made this recipe like 400 times and every single time my husband has eaten it without complaint. No problems. 

He's usually really easy to please like that. As long as the rice is fully cooked and I haven't over garlickified something (although he's warming up to my strong obsession with too much garlic) he's usually pretty happy.

But this time he took one bite and said, "this has walnuts in it?!?!" like I had taken his least favorite food and stuffed it in his favorite food just to be mean. 

Note to self: apparently my husband doesn't like walnuts in his bread. My bad.

Anywho, it turns out that was the only problem with this banana bread. The optional addition of walnuts. 

So make this banana bread. 

Nuts or not.

Summer or not.

Just make it. 

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

10 tbsp plus 1 tsp butter

3 mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Lightly grease a bread pan with 1 tsp of the butter. Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment. Add the remaining 10 tbsp of butter and mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely. 

Recipe slightly adapted from: FoodNetwork.com

But seriously, add the walnuts.