abbie's easier mediterranean-ish salad

I wanted to make THIS salad (saw it via Bloom), but I didn't have all the stuff so I made this one up and it was sooo good and so easy! and it was filling so that's all I made for dinner.

Things you need:

• 8 oz Orzo pasta
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• mozzarella cheese, shredded
• handful grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup fresh basil (I used my purple basil), finely chopped
• handful of almonds, chopped
• Olde Cape Cod Balsamic Vinaigrette

Cook orzo according to box directions and cool. Layer everything up and top with vinaigrette. Eat and then eat some more and then eat some more.

tilapia with peach salsa

My husband said, "when I saw this I didn't think it would be very good, but it is." I agree.

Make the salsa first:

• 1/2 cup chopped peaches
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup (ish) fresh cilantro, chopped
  
• juice from 1 lime
• a bit of salt and black pepper
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (I used half of a purpley-redish and half of a neon green-yellow. Obviously I am an expert and know the real names of bell peppers)

Mix everything up and put in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

On to the tilapia:

• 2-4 tilapia fillets (I use frozen - still yummy and cheaper)
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp (ish) salt
• 1/4 tsp (ish) black pepper
• cooking spray

Preheat over to 375. Spray cooking spray in baking dish. Put the fillets in the dish. Pour olive oil over the fillets; then spread garlic over the fillets; then shake the basil, salt, and pepper over the fillets. Bake for 8-12 minutes (mine are perfectly flaky at 10 min)

When the tilapia is done, top with salsa. Serve with wild rice and zucchini (not asparagus and potatoes as seen above).

Creamy Tomato & Pesto Sauce

This was a big hit with my 4 year-old tonight. And my husband. And me. Not too shabby on the fly, I must admit. =)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. bulk sausage

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

1/3 c. pesto

1/2 c. heavy cream

1. In a saucepan, cook and break up sausage, drain if desired.

2. After sausage is fully cooked and broken up, pour in tomatoes and pesto.

3. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Just prior to serving, add cream and stir, heating through.

We served it over cheese ravioli, and I can't wait to use it on lasagna!