Green Olive and Artichoke Tapenade

This spread is good on its own, but also great on a Pan-grilled Veggie Sandwich. I didn't find it overpoweringly salty, despite its sodium-laden ingredients.

After making it to specifications, I previewed it while still in the food processor, and decided I like mine a little more olive-y. Feel free to use 15 or 20!

Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 large pitted green olives
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to desired smoothness.

Pan-grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Ricotta, Arugula and Balsamic

The other day I made this recipe I found in Food Network Favorites. It was completely delicious, and I wanted to make sure I kept the recipe to use again and again. However, I realized that the few dozen recipes I've acquired in my short 22-year existence are scattered all over, and in various forms of media. So, I decided, what better way to collect recipes than in a blog? It satisfies all of my major requirements: organized, accessible, and easy to share. I hope you enjoy my ever-growing collection of recipes. Feel free to share some of your own!

For this recipe, I would suggest a slightly larger and more flexible crusty bread as the ingredients are rather slippery and tend to fall out. Also, I decided to use the Green Olive and Artichoke Tapenade instead of jarred olive paste. Mmm!




Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

vegetable oil, for brushing
2 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise in 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 small yellow squash, sliced lengthwise in 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 red onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 baguettes, about 24 inches long
1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 bunch arugula, washed, dried, and stems discarded
balsamic vinegar, to taste
1 small jar roasted red peppers, halved
1 small jar olive paste (optional)

Brush a large grill pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Before grilling, toss veggies with olive oil, garlic, and salt and black pepper to taste. Grill vegetables in batches until nicely colored and soft, about 6 to 12 minutes per batch. Wipe down the grill pan between batches to get rid of burnt-on bits.

Cut bread into 6-inch pieces lengthwise but don't go all the way through. Spread a thick layer of ricotta on the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle with some salt.

Toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and black pepper to taste. Place dressed arugula on top of ricotta, then add generous amounts of the different grilled vegetables and the roasted red peppers. Spread a thin layer of olive paste on the top half of the bread, if desired.

Roasted Vegetable and Orzo Salad

I liked the grilled vegetables in the sandwich I made, so I decided to try this one out, too.

I thought the large pieces of food in the pasta salad would go better with a heartier pasta, so I picked orecchiette instead. I also substituted kalamata olives instead of regular black ones. My local grocery store doesn't carry Litehouse products, so I used Kraft's Caesar Vinaigrette instead. It was delicious!

Servings: 6

Level of Difficulty: Easy
(POINTS® Value: 4)

3 sprays olive oil cooking spray

1 small red onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
2/3 cup zucchini, diced
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (in water) drained & chopped
6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 Tbsp. fresh parsley or basil (or mixed), chopped
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 lb. orzo pasta, cooked, cooled
1/2 cup Litehouse® Lite Caesar Dressing

Heat large skillet over medium heat until hot; add cooking spray. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and zucchini; cook 5 minutes or until vegetable are just tender. Add pepper during last minute of cooking. Remove from skillet; let cool.

Combine pan roasted vegetables, red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, pepper, parsley, green onions and orzo in large bowl. Add Litehouse® dressing; toss to mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.