So, I finally got a pressure cooker for my birthday this year! I've only wanted one for about 5 years now, hah. I've had so much fun playing around with it and learning how to use it. And I gotta say, I'm super impressed and can totally see what all the hype is about! So far, I've made a lot of really yummy stuff in it that would normally take me several hours to make in a slow cooker.
My little blonde mind is blown, y'all! How in the world does this contraption manage to cook things so quickly?!...
Who doesn't love a good cool avocado dish on a hot HOT summer day? Okay, you caught me. I'm not going to lie. I love avocados year round, but there's just something about them during the summer that just brings even more joy and rapture to my soul.
This 'salad' is being called a salad because it sort of reminds me of what a vegetarian style 'chicken salad'. It's loaded up with plenty of avocado and summer flavors that bring a perfectly fresh and refreshing bite, and I've been looking for a good reason to use chickpeas again since they're one of my personal favorites...
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The end of Mermaid week is upon us! I've saved the best for last with this Mermaid 'Seaweed' Wrap. There is a long history behind this wrap too! It's special to my family because it's been in the summer rotation for about 5 years now! Yep. That's just how good this wrap is. One thing I love most about it is that it's so versatile; making the perfect lunch box addition, summer lunch or even as a light dinner. It's perfectly 'meal prep' friendly and full of wholesome goodness.
I've dubbed it the 'seaweed' wrap since I like to use the bright and colorful spinach tortilla to wrap everything all up in. On the inside, I've loaded this wrap up with plenty of fun and vibrant mermaid inspired bits. The first layers are hummus and a low fat cream cheese, followed by carrots, tomatoes, spinach, and my favorite part, Chopped Eckrich Honey Cured Ham! It's all pulled together with some reduced fat feta and rolled to perfection...
The next step into this week of Mermaid amazingness is in honor of my fabulous mother's birthday! Truly, she's more of a mermaid than I am. She spends about 75% of her summer in the water. And... about 50% of the rest of the year in and about the water as well. We're talking rivers, lakes, pools, etc. If there's a body of water, she'll find it and she'll be in it with a cocktail or two in her hand.
Every year for one another's birthday we each take the time and effort to make or go and buy one another our favorite cravable cupcakes or cake. This year I opted for a local Austin food truck that makes my most favorite strawberry cupcakes in the entire world. For my mom though? She's getting an oldie but a goodie. It's a surprise cupcake that we've made together in the past and fell in love at first bite...
So, I've decided that this week on the blog is going to be all about... drumroll please... Mermaids! Ta-da! That's right. It's going to be a week full of mermaid inspired dishes; eats and treats alike. This Mermaid Noodle Salad is an old family favorite that originated in one of my daughter's cook books, but has been tweaked and adjusted so much that it's a whole new recipe by now.
After carefully transcribing all of my notes on it in the cookbook, I finally settled on the perfect end result. One thing that I love most about this noodle salad is that you can serve it hot or cold. Being as it's the middle of summer here in Texas though... I'm naturally opting for a cold noodle dish myself. However, if you still feel like being a mermaid in the winter months, feel free to enjoy it warm! Just serve it right away instead of giving it an hour+ of chill time...
It's the fourth of July weekend! While I'm spending it rather lazily at home as I recuperate from a few weeks of busy, busy, busy - I'm still finding the time to have fun and be festive! With an impromptu visit from my brother, I decided to toss together a quick 'snacky' meal that we could all graze on throughout the day at our leisure.
Naturally, my first inclination was a 7 layer dip. I think that's because it's one of those things that has something it in that everyone likes! It's one perfect montage or mashup of everything I love. Plus, it's perfectly light and cool for a hot summer day. And of course, since it's around the 4th of July, you just know I had to arrange this dip into the shape of the American flag to be all the more cute and festive!...
