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Archives for August 2019

Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartine with Herb Mayo

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In my book, there is nothing better than a fresh-from-the-garden juicy tomato! Warm from the sunshine and practically falling off the vine it’s so ripe. Jeff & I anxiously await the first tomatoes we pick from our garden every summer. Every time Jeff mows the grass he takes a little break and I always catch him sneaking into the garden to pick handfuls of cherry tomatoes. Literally handfuls! Therefore, my recipes must use the larger tomato varieties we have growing. Not that I’m complaining! This Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartine with Herb Mayo has been my lunch every day for the past week. I’m in love! Crunchy toasted sourdough bread, juicy slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella with garlic, lemon zest and basil-flecked mayo. Yes, please!

overhead view of two light blue plates filled with Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartines with Herb Mayo and wavy potato chips a small dish of flakes sea salt rests next to the plates along with a vase of various flowers

What is Tartine?

A Tartine is really just a fancy French name for an open-faced sandwich with some type of spread on it. This tartine is made with no ordinary spread though, friends! Why just have mayonnaise on a sandwich when you can load it up with minced garlic, fresh lemon zest, smoked paprika, and sliced basil leaves! I’m not going to try to B.S. anybody but I tried to do a little video for you guys to demonstrate how to chiffonade basil ( aka thinly slice basil) but my videography skills really suck! I’m barely able to photograph the food let alone create a video! So thanks to my friends at Saveur Magazine, who are amazing at food photography and videography, here is a lovely link that demonstrates chiffonading basil. If you are interested!

overhead view of a slice of toasted bread spread with herb mayo a few slices of tomato and a slice of fresh mozzarella along with a sprig of fresh basil rest on the edge of the plate a fork and knife rest to the left of the plate

The thing I love the most about this Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartine with Herb Mayo? I mean, besides it being completely delicious!! I only have to use the toaster! No oven or stovetop heating the house up to an even more unbearable temperature! It’s been so freakin’ hot and we don’t have air conditioning! If the temperature is above 72° my oven doesn’t get turned on! How about you? What do you like to make to beat the heat?

a toasted slice of bread topped with herb-flecked mayonnaise fresh mozzarella slices and tomato slices with tiny basil leaves dotting the top sit on a small light blue plate a small white ramekin of herb mayo with a small spoon rests next to the plate and a vase of various flowers and basil sprigs rest to the left of the plate

Some other Yums & Kisses recipes that would be lovely paired with the Tartines:

Watermelon Elderflower Sangria

Chipotle Coleslaw

Summer Herb and Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette

Thanks for taking the time to hang out today! I know you’ll enjoy this recipe! If you know someone else who may enjoy it I would be over-the-moon if you would share it with them! Let’s enjoy the last few weeks of summer by eating all the summer tomatoes and drinking all the sangria we can! ♡~Heidi

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a toasted slice of bread topped with herb-flecked mayonnaise fresh mozzarella slices and tomato slices with tiny basil leaves dotting the top sit on a small light blue plate a small white ramekin of herb mayo with a small spoon rests next to the plate and a vase of various flowers and basil sprigs rest to the left of the plate

Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartine with Herb Mayo

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 Tartines 1x
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Description

Fresh Tomato & Mozzarella Tartine with Herb Mayo is the perfect late summer lunch!  Juicy tomatoes fresh-from-the-garden are piled onto crunchy slices of toasted sourdough bread with fresh mozzarella cheese, and lemon zest, garlic, and fresh basil flecked mayo

Scale

Ingredients

For the Mayo:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

One small clove garlic, minced

zest of 1 lemon

1/8 tsp kosher salt

2 Tbsp thinly-sliced basil

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

For the Tartine:

Two large slices sourdough bread, toasted

One large tomato, sliced

4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese

To Garnish:

a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, if desired

additional basil, thinly sliced, if desired

Instructions

For the Mayo:

Stir the ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the tartines.

Toast the sourdough bread. 

Spread each slice of bread with the herb mayo.

Top the mayo with the fresh mozzarella slices and tomato slices. Sprinkle a bit of coarse sea salt and extra sliced basil leaves over the top, if desired.

  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Toasting
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: tomato mozzarella tartine herb mayo

Summer Herb and Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette

by 1 Comment

This Summer Herb and Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette! Wow! It’s so freakin’ good, friends! Before summer slips by, and our palate wants nothing but pot roast and mashed potatoes, promise me you will make this! Promise? Okay, good!

overhead view of ears of fresh sweet corn tomatoes red yellow and orange bell pepper cilantro springs chives and a small jar of fresh basil

I mean we have to take advantage of all the beautiful produce spilling out of the backyard garden and the farmers’ markets! Fresh sweet corn and crunchy sweet bell peppers along with a generous amount of garden-fresh herbs mixed with nutritious quinoa in a bright and zingy lemon and ginger vinaigrette are what my salad loving soul craves!

a jar filled with lemon ginger vinaigrette with a metal spoon in it a jar lid rests next to it on a white linen towel a group of lemons rests in the back right corner and a metal can filled with flowers rests in the left back corner

Fresh summer produce is a gift to our tastebuds! This Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette is too! It’s bright and perky from the fresh lemon juice with just a hint of warmth from the minced fresh ginger. Perfection in a jar! You should probably make a double batch. Ya know, just in case you take to drinking it with a straw!

Lemon ginger vinaigrette being poured over a white bowl of quinoa salad a few cherry tomatoes rest on the counter next to the bowl and a metal can filled with flowers rests in the back right corner

A word about quinoa

If you’ve never had quinoa, this Summer Herb and Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette is the perfect opportunity to be introduced to it. Quinoa is chewy, tender, and full of fiber and protein. If your tastebuds ever grow tired of pasta, quinoa is a great alternative. It cooks in 20 minutes or less and is so much healthier! Before you cook quinoa be sure to rinse it with cold water for about a minute. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin. If the saponin is not rinsed from the quinoa, it will taste bitter. No Bueno!

overhead view of a round white bowl filled with Summer Herb & Veggie Quinoa Salad with halved cherry tomatoes alternated with fresh basil leaves in a half moon pattern along the right side of the bowl for garnish metal forks rest on the counter next to the bowl with a small white ramekin sitting on a stack of white plates filled with herb cracker

With Labor Day just around the corner, if you are looking for a new addition to your picnic menu may I suggest this salad paired with Watermelon Elderflower Sangria? Follow it up with a generous scoop of Blueberry & Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream and that my friends is what a perfect summer day is made of!

If you enjoyed this recipe and would like to receive recipes from Yums & Kisses straight to your inbox subscribe at the bottom of the page. And for even more fun, follow me on Pinterest! Thanks for taking the time to hang out with me today! XO~ Heidi

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overhead view of a round white bowl filled with Summer Herb & Veggie Quinoa Salad with halved cherry tomatoes alternated with fresh basil leaves in a half moon pattern along the right side of the bowl for garnish metal forks rest on the counter next to the bowl with a small white ramekin sitting on a stack of white plates filled with herb cracker

Summer Herb and Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Description

Summer Herb & Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette is the perfect light & fresh dinner!  A great way to use up all those late summer herbs in the garden!

Scale

Ingredients

For the Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger root 

1 clove garlic, minced

dash of chipotle chile powder

For the Salad:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

splash of white wine (optional)

1 1/3 cups of water

1/4 tsp sea salt

corn kernels from one ear of fresh sweet corn

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

1/2 orange bell pepper, minced

1 packed cup of minced fresh herbs ( I used a combination of basil, cilantro & chives)

a sprinkle of sea salt before serving (optional)

Halved cherry tomatoes and basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

For the Lemon Ginger Vinaigrette:

Place the vinaigrette ingredients into a high powered blender.  Process dressing until smooth.  Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.

For the Quinoa:

In a medium-sized saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.  When the butter is melted and hot, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and quinoa.  Cook for two minutes, stirring frequently.  Add a splash of white wine and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the water and sea salt.  Stir to combine.  Raise the heat to high and bring the quinoa to a low boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pan.  Simmer the quinoa for 15-20 minutes.  The quinoa is fully cooked when tender and the quinoa curlicues are visible.  Remove the pan from the heat. Take the lid off of the pan. Let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer it to a large mixing bowl.  Allow the quinoa to cool until room temperature.

To assemble the Salad:

When the quinoa is cool, add the minced vegetables and herbs to the mixing bowl along with the lemon-ginger vinaigrette.

Stir to combine the ingredients.  Garnish with a sprinkle of sea salt, halved cherry tomatoes, and basil leaves. Time to dig in!

The quinoa salad is terrific at room temperature or chilled.

 

 

Notes

Don’t skip rinsing and draining the quinoa!  Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin.  If it is not cleaned first, the final cooked quinoa will have an unpleasant bitter taste.

  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: quinoa veggie herb salad lemon ginger vinaigrette

Sour Cream & Onion Hummus

by 3 Comments

Forget about fat-filled sour cream-based dips! Well, not forever, just for today. Because today we are making Sour Cream & Onion Hummus! Full of creamy chickpeas, tangy sour cream, and onions two ways. This recipe requires no chopping and is ready in 5 minutes! Healthy(ish) food never tasted so good!

a white bowl filled with hummus topped with a swirl of sour cream and garnished with three orange and red nasturtiums the bowl is surrounded by cucumber coins black olives red pepper slices and broccoli florets a metal can filled with sunflowers and pink daisies rest in the left corner with a white linen towel running along side it and a metal sifter is filled with pita chips and wavy potato chips in the right corner a vintage metal spoon rests between the hummus platter and the sifter

Don’t get me wrong I still love the recipe for The Best Homemade Onion Dip here on Yums & Kisses. Dare I say, I may even love this recipe even more! What’s not to love about this rich, creamy, and slightly tangy dip? It’s perfect served with crunchy pita chips! Or, thick and crispy potato chips! It’s even better scooped up with a crisp cucumber coin! Or, drag a sweet and juicy red pepper slice through it! Sour Cream & Onion Hummus may actually make you into a vegetable lover if you aren’t one already!

overhead view of a bowl of Sour Cream & Onion Hummus that is topped with a swirl of sour cream the bowl is surrounded by cucumber coins black olives red pepper slices broccoli florets and nasturtium flowers a white linen towel rests in the upper left side and a metal tin of wavy potato chips rests at the top right

One Hummus. Sooooo many ways to love it!

Hummus isn’t just for snacks. Jeff & I use it for so many things at mealtime.

  • Pour it over hot cooked pasta and toss to coat the noodles. Reserve some of the pasta cooking water when you drain the noodles and add a bit to the hummus coated noodles if it seems dry.
  • Smear a bit of Sour Cream & Onion Hummus on two slices of toasted multigrain bread. Add slices of roasted turkey breast and top with avocado slices and sprouts. Lunch for two is served!
  • Put a scoop or two on a garden salad instead of salad dressing.
  • Toast a sourdough English muffin. Spread with the hummus. Top with a thick slice of juicy fresh tomato. Absolute Heaven!

A lot of days lunchtime comes and goes. 2 pm rolls around, and I’m starving! With a container of this hummus in the fridge, I have no excuse not to eat something healthy! Because honestly, without this lifesaver waiting for me in the fridge, I would grab a pack of peanut butter and cheese crackers. Not exactly nutritious or filling!

close up view of a red pepper slice that has been dipped in hummus the platter of veggies and hummus rests towards the front and is blurry while the red pepper slice with hummus is in focus a metal sifter filled with wavy potato chips and pita chips rests in the back right corner

If you have 5 minutes, you’ve got all the time you need to make this! It’s the perfect appetizer for when last-minute guests drop by. And it also makes a terrific after school snack for the kids!

I know you’ll enjoy this quick & easy recipe! If you would like to receive recipes from Yums & Kisses straight to your inbox every week, you can sign up at the bottom of the page! Also, follow me on Pinterest! I’m gonna dive into some of this delicious hummus, now! Can’t wait to visit with you again soon!

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a white bowl filled with hummus topped with a swirl of sour cream and garnished with three orange and red nasturtiums the bowl is surrounded by cucumber coins black olives red pepper slices and broccoli florets a metal can filled with sunflowers and pink daisies rest in the left corner with a white linen towel running along side it and a metal sifter is filled with pita chips and wavy potato chips in the right corner a vintage metal spoon rests between the hummus platter and the sifter

Sour Cream & Onion Hummus

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

Sour Cream & Onion Hummus is rich, creamy, tangy!  Perfect for dipping your favorite crudites or snack chips!  Healthy never tasted so good!!

Scale

Ingredients

15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup full-fat sour cream

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp warm water

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Tbsp hot sauce (I used Cholula)

2 tsp dried minced onion flakes

dash of cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients, except the dried onion flakes, into a high-powered blender.  Purée until smooth.  Transfer the hummus to a storage bowl and stir in the onion flakes.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Hummus will keep in the refrigerator for five days. 

Notes

If you don’t have Cholula hot sauce substitute your favorite brand!

  • Category: Appetizers
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: sour cream and onion hummus

Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola

by 1 Comment

I’ve always had an affinity for anything sweet and salty. Hot salty french fries dipped into a chocolate milkshake. Chocolate covered crunchy potato chips. Chewy bacon squiggled through warm maple syrup. Salted caramel anything. Oh, man, I love them all! This Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola satisfies my sweet and salty tooth first thing in the morning! It’s like a peanut butter and pretzel cookie but waaaaaay better. Chewy rolled oats, creamy peanut butter, sweet maple syrup, and salty pretzels… How could this be wrong??!!

overhead view of a jar of granola spilling onto a marble countertop squares shards and chunks of dark chocolate rest next to the jar a small white cup of granola with a spoon rests in the upper right corner a white linen towel runs along the top edge

And of course, I had to go there. Adding a little bit of chocolate chunk action never made anybody mad. Am I right? I knew you wouldn’t mind. Of course, the chocolate is entirely optional. But I do highly recommend it!

I hate to bring this subject up

But, it’s looming in the background at this point of summer. Back. To. School. Ugh, I know. I apologize for bringing it up. But, the little ones are going to be starving when they get off the bus in the afternoon. A cold glass of milk and a tall jar filled with Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola will be just what they need!

a small white teacup filled with granola being topped with milk a jar overflowing with granola is in the background along with a white linen towel

Don’t save all this deliciousness for after school, though! Douse it with milk! Sprinkle it over pancakes or waffles! Stir it into vanilla (or chocolate!) yogurt! Eat it by the handful! Top frozen yogurt or ice cream for a hippiefied sundae! Make chocolate-covered frozen bananas and roll it in Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola before the chocolate sets! Hungry yet??? I knew you would be!

overhead view of the ingredients required to make peanut butter & pretzel granola maple syrup ground cinnamon vanilla extract light brown sugar creamy peanut butter hard salted pretzels and rolled oats are pictured a small wooden spoon rests on the left side

Easy Peasy

There is nothing complicated about this recipe! Breaking the pretzels into bite-sized pieces is as complicated as it gets! Measure, stir, bake. Well, maybe I told a little white lie. There is something hard about this recipe… Letting it cool before diving into it is a challenge. This granola is clumpy. But in a good way. Perfect for those mid-afternoon grumbellies. Ya know. When lunch is over, but dinner is still hours away and you just.need.something!!! You can reach in the jar and pick out a few chunks of granola to help the situation!

overhead view of a parchment-lined cookie sheet with peanut butter & pretzel granola with chocolate chunks scattered across it a vintage metal spoon rests on the bottom left side of the tray

You guys know I love me some peanut butter! Remember the No-Bake Energy Bars? Mmhmm. Some serious yum there! I know you are going to love this Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola just as much! Maybe even more so! Follow me on Pinterest to keep up with what’s going on here at Yums & Kisses! Or, if you would like to receive my recipes straight to your inbox every week, you can subscribe at the bottom of the page! Can’t wait to visit with you again soon! You guys are the sweet to my salty!

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overhead view of a jar of granola spilling onto a marble countertop squares shards and chunks of dark chocolate rest next to the jar a small white cup of granola with a spoon rests in the upper right corner a white linen towel runs along the top edge

Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Heidi Clark
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: 4 cups 1x
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Description

Peanut Butter & Pretzel Granola will get your day started right! Makes a delicious after school snack as well! Tastes like a peanut butter cookie but is so much healthier!

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup broken pretzel pieces

3 cups regular rolled oats 

2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ounces chocolate chunks (I used half of a dark chocolate baking bar and chopped it myself), optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper

Combine the oats, pretzels, brown sugar, sea salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

Place the maple syrup and peanut butter into a 2-cup glass measuring cup or bowl. Microwave on high for no more than 30 seconds.  Stir well to combine the peanut butter and maple syrup.  Add the vanilla extract and stir again to combine.

Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients.  Stir well until the oat mixture is completely coated with the peanut butter syrup.  Dump the oats onto the lined cookie sheet and spread out into a thin layer.  The oats will be a bit clumpy, but that’s okay.  Just try to get it into as even of a layer as possible so that it bakes evenly.

Bake 19-22 minutes.  The granola will look dry, the edges will be golden brown and will be firm feeling.

Transfer the cookie sheet to a cooling rack and let rest until cooled.  Scatter the chocolate chunks over the tray of granola. Break the granola into clumps. Time to eat!  Enjoy!

Notes

Granola keeps well in a jar for one month

If you want more of cereal-like granola, use a fork to break the granola up after it has cooled but while it’s still on the cookie sheet.

A tip for brown sugar that is starting to harden:  Bury 2 or 3 large marshmallows down into the sugar and seal it up.  The brown sugar will draw moisture from the marshmallows and rehydrate!

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: baked
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: peanut butter pretzel granola chocolate chunk rolled oats