Watermelon feta salad

Watermelon is to summer what football is to fall. They just go together.

And I love me some watermelon.

While shopping at Publix this weekend, I picked up a watermelon thinking it would be a yummy addition to the fruit kabobs I was planning to make. Little did I realize how much watermelon one watermelon actually contains. When I was done cutting it up (four days and one messy kitchen later) we had a TON of it.

I like watermelon a lot, but not that much.

So I used some of it tonight to make a delicious summery salad.


I first ate this on Father's Day at my parent's house. I don't know where my mom found this recipe, but I'm glad she did and that she shared it with us!

Watermelon feta salad
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
2 pounds watermelon, cut into bite size pieces
8 ounces grape tomatoes, cut in half
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar*
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups arugula greens (about 5 ounces)*
1 cup sliced red onions

Whisk oil, vinegar and salt to blend; set aside. Place arugula, onions and tomatoes in a salad bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add cheese and melon; serve.

*My mom didn't have white balsamic vinegar, so she used regular balsamic vinegar and it was just as good. We both used romaine lettuce instead of arugula. And I don't have kosher salt so I used regular salt. All these substitutions and it was still a delicious salad!

Greek turkey burgers

I stepped on the scale last week and was not happy with what I saw. Of course, with the way I've been eating lately I should have known that I would be less than pleased with the numbers on the scale, but a girl can dream.

So in an effort to shed some of this baby weight I've still got hanging around, I am trying to cook and eat healthier. I don't really have much time to read these days, what with an infant in the house and all, but while (very) quickly skimming through the latest issue of Southern Living I found a recipe for turkey burgers. We're big burger fans in our house, but I've heard mixed reviews about turkey. I've heard that they can be dry and tasteless, but this recipe looked like it might be something we (or I...) would like. Anything with feta cheese is worth a try in my book.

Patrick was skeptical. He's a traditional burger kind of guy. But he humored me and grilled them anyway. He even ate one. And liked it!

These burgers aren't dry at all (I think the cucumber sauce helps) and are packed full of flavor. I really liked them a lot - they were so tasty and different from what we usually eat. Patrick liked them, too, and said that they didn't make him feel as full and heavy as a regular hamburger.

If you're looking for an alternative to your usual hamburger, give these a try. We finished them today and will be making them again.


Greek turkey burgers
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living
1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast
1 (4-oz.) package crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
Vegetable cooking spray, if using a grill pan
1/2 cup grated English cucumber (I couldn't find one, so I used a regular cucumber)
1 (6-oz.) container fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 French hamburger buns, split and toasted
Toppings: lettuce leaves, tomato slices, thinly sliced cucumber
Garnish: pepperoncini salad peppers

Stir together first 6 ingredients. Shape mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) patties. Heat a grill pan* over medium-high heat. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Stir together cucumber, yogurt, mint, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Serve burgers on buns with cucumber sauce and desired toppings. Garnish, if desired.

*We used our gas grill and cooked them at 300-400 degrees for about 7 minutes each side.

Chop-chop salad

This salad is one of my favorite summer side dishes. It's easy, healthy, pretty and travels well to picnics and potlucks. It's the perfect accompaniment to your favorite grilled food, and if you omit the bacon, it's a vegetarian dish, too.


Chop-Chop Salad
Recipe from family friend Sue Chaney
1 head broccoli
1 head cauliflower
6 green onions
1/2 pound bacon (or bacon bits)

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Chop broccoli, cauliflower, onions and bacon into small pieces. Combine in a large bowl.
Toss with dressing just before serving.

Chocolate no-bake cookies

When Patrick and I started dating, I was introduced to one of his favorite cookies, one that was brand new to me. (How I missed out on a cookie for that many years is beyond me.) His aunt traditionally makes them for family gatherings, and the first time I ever ate one was when we all got together for a family reunion in Ocean Isle, North Carolina. They are tasty little treasures, full of chocolate and peanut butter ... two of my favorite things!

I never had the recipe until a sweet lady from our church brought us dinner and dessert after Nora was born. She very thoughtfully included the recipes, and this was one of them. Finally, I can make one of Patrick's favorite cookies!


Chocolate no-bake cookies
1 stick of butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups oats

Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil for one minute. Remove from heat and combine with remaining ingredients. Stir together until fully combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.

A Cookie Conundrum

I have a chocolate-chip cookie conundrum, and I'm hoping y'all can help.

I have been making chocolate-chip cookies for as long as I can remember, but have never found that perfect recipe, one that gives me fluffy, chewy cookies. Although they taste good, mine always seem to come out more on the flat, crispy side, no matter what I do. And flat and crispy is fine and dandy if that's what you want ... but I want thick, fluffy, chewy chocolate-chip cookies!

Is it the butter? The softened butter, perhaps? Should I use cold butter instead, even though the recipe clearly calls for softened butter? Or should I use margarine? What about shortening?

I've even tried recipes that say they will turn out the way I want, but they never do. And y'all know how I follow recipes to a tee -- especially when baking.

So what gives? Please share any ideas, inspiration, advice you have.

Until then, I'll keep trying. Patrick - who has never met a chocolate-chip cookie he didn't like - won't complain!

*Photos are now courtesy of Patrick and his new toy, a Canon Rebel DSLR camera - no more iPhone pictures!

The Final Countdown

Thanks to the band Europe for the title inspiration and for getting that darn lyric in my head.

The final countdown to meeting baby Nora is here - FOURTEEN days and counting! I can't wrap my mind around the fact that in two weeks we will become parents. We are so, so excited. But clueless!

I don't want this blog to become a baby blog, so if you're interested in keeping up with our next 14 days and the days with Nora that follow, check out my other blog at www.karawitherow.wordpress.com. We have family and friends scattered from Georgia to Illinois and all in between, so I'm hoping that the blog will be a good way to keep everyone updated on Nora (I have no illusions that anyone will care about what Patrick or I am doing, just the baby!).

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

I am always on the hunt for quick, easy, healthy side dishes. I always seem to make the same ones over and over again (roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli are my faithful standbys), but as much as we like them, sometimes you just need something different.

And that's where this recipe comes in. I usually only make it in the spring and summer. Something about asparagus just says "spring" to me. I have no idea if asparagus has a season or not, but I say it's spring!

Until I made and ate this asparagus, I had no idea that I liked it so much. This recipe is super easy, quick and delish. The asparagus gets nicely roasted but doesn't get soft - soft asparagus is a no-no in my book.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Oven-roasted asparagus
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living
3 pounds fresh asparagus*
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted*

Wash and dry asparagus. Snap off and discard tough ends; place asparagus on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or to desired degree of tenderness. Transfer to a serving dish; sprinkle with almonds. Makes 8-10 servings.

*Patrick and I certainly can't eat 3 pounds of asparagus, so I usually buy just shy of 1 pound for the two of us. I eat quite a bit with dinner, and then we have a few left for leftovers. When using less than 3 lbs. I just reduce the rest of the ingredients as needed. For example, I made this the other night and used just under one pound of asparagus. I used a little less than a tablespoon of olive oil, one garlic clove, 1/4 tsp. salt and just a couple of shakes of pepper. I don't use almonds because I'm not a fan of nuts with my veggies, but if you like them, have at it!