Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party and Giveaway!!

Happy Friday everyone!  Today is a very special party because if you are one of the top three recipes this week, you win an amazing prize!  Gypsy Girl Granola has graciously agreed to award one bag to each of the top three links!  Her granola is gluten free, soy free, vegan, and delicious!

 *Awards only available to US and Canada Residents

But first...here are last weeks winners...

Top Voted for July 27th!

#1 Eggs in Chili Clouds from Kitchen Tested

#2 Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake from Hun What's for Dinner

#3 Chicken Casserole from Cooking From a Stay at Home Mom

Most Clicks for July 27th:

#1 Sticky Caramel Toffee Cheesecake from That Skinny Chic Can Bake

#2 Snickers Popcorn from Walking on Sunshine

#3 Eggs in Chili Clouds from Kitchen Tested

Last but not least...these are your Hosts for the week.

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com
Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com
Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/
Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes  http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com
Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/
Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com
Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com
Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au
Tami at Food Forays http://www.foodforays.com
R Dawn at http://www.spatulasonparade.com
Amber at http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com
Erika at http://www.chefpickykid.com

Restaurant Style Salsa

There's just something about going to a Mexican restaurant and snacking on chips and salsa while you wait for your meal.  It is soooo goooood!  You can never purchase salsa as tasty as they serve in a restaurant... but now you don't have to.  This salsa that will put restaurants to shame! 

I started playing around with salsas a few months ago, and have slowly created this perfect salsa.  I'm serious. It's amazing!   My husband literally begs for this if I haven't made it in a few weeks.  I love how incredibly simple it is.  Just throw everything into a blender!  That's it!  I will never buy salsa from the store again.  I like my salsa with a bit of a kick to it, so if you like a milder salsa, cut back on the jalapeno.  This salsa is amazing on its own, or add it to tacos, burritos, or anything you choose!  Just make it!  Tonight!!  :)

Ingredients
1 (28oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 C onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
a pinch of sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3/4 C fresh cilantro
1/2 a lime, juiced

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients into a blender or food processor.  Pulse until desired consistency is reached.  It doesn't take much.  I like a slightly chunky salsa, so I only pulse my Blendtec blender about 4 times.
2. Taste with a chip and adjust the seasoning as desired.  
3. Allow to chill at least one hour before serving...if you can wait that long!

Inspired by The Pioneer Woman

Shared on OrgJunkie

Fresh Idea - Local Farm Tour

If you are looking for a wonderful way to spend some time with your family this summer, why not take a tour of your local farm?  I am lucky to live near a farm that hosts seasonal tours of their fields.  Right now, they are hosting their watermelon tours.  You are able to ride in a tractor-pulled wagon through their farm and pick your own watermelon right off the vine!

During the tour, a guide tells you all about the history of the farm and the fruits and vegetables they grow.  They will answer questions and make the tour a ton of fun!  What a great way for you and your kids to learn more about the foods you eat!  Give your family the chance to see how our foods are really grown.  The more information and involvement you give them, the more likely they will be interested in eating these healthy foods!

If you have a local farm in your area, contact them to see if they offer tours!  If it is not something they regularly do, check and see if they will work with the local schools to schedule field trips.  It's a great way to spend the day!!

Photo Credits: Tanaka Farms

Sweet Corn Soup

With such amazing sweet corn from our local farm, I am always looking for new ways to prepare them.    I was so excited to try a soup recipe!  This soup is light, creamy and so easy to make.  The nutmeg added a wonderful dimension to the sweet corn flavor of the soup.  My whole family loved it, so I will definitely be making this again this season.  I sure hope you give it a try too; you won't regret it! 

Ingredients

4 Tbsp butter

1 C chopped sweet onion

5 cups of corn, freshly cut from the cob, divided

1 Tbsp sugar

2 C milk

1 C half-and-half

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook gently for 3-5 minutes until tender.  Do not let the onion brown.  
2. Add 4 cups of corn and sprinkle generously with sea salt.  Stir well and cook 5-7 minutes.  Again, do not let the corn or onions brown.  
3. Stir in sugar.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the milk and half-and-half.  Warm over medium-low heat until heated through.  
5. Add the corn mixture into the heated milk and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.
6. Puree soup in batches until very smooth.  Pour through a fine wire strainer into a bowl.  
7. Transfer soup back into pan and reheat over medium heat.
8. Whisk in nutmeg.
9. Serve in bowls and garnish with the remaining corn kernels and a dusting of nutmeg.

Adapted from BHG

Weekly Menu

Happy Monday!  We have another amazing selection from the farm this week!  We picked up some cilantro, parsley, sweet Maui onion, saticoy melon, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, green and orange bell peppers, tomatoes, and cherries.  Great variety and colors, huh?  We will also be using some more basil and cucumber from our own backyard!  :)  Here is what we are making this week.

• BBQ Tofu Sandwiches with Fresh Corn Soup
• using the green bell pepper, cilantro, sweet Maui onion, and corn

• Chipotle Black Bean Burritos with my Restaurant Style Homemade Salsa
• using the corn, sweet Maui onion, and cilantro 

• Capellini Pomodoro with Summer Corn Salad
• using the tomatoes, basil, corn, cucumbers, orange bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and parsley

We will be enjoying the saticoy melon for dessert, and adding to our stock of frozen cherries to get us through the rest of these hot summer days.  Have a great week everyone!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party!

Welcome back to another party!  I hope you all had a great week and are ready to share some amazing recipes!  Let's take a quick moment to re-cap last week's shin-dig.  We had 134 recipes posted and here are some results!

Top Three voted by you:

#1 Jams and Pans with Apple Walnut and Coconut Cake with Baileys Fudge Frosting

#2 Spatulas on Parade with Hodge Podge Salad

#3 Baked in the South with Margarita Cupcakes

Three Most Viewed:

#1 Flour Me With Love with Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls

#2 Family Food Finds with Hawaiian Style Chicken Katsu (Wow!  Thanks!!)

#3 Diddles and Dumplings with Crockpot Mexican Pork

My personal favorite from last week was the Hummus and Spinach Stuffed Portabellas from A Virtual Essence.  Don't they look amazing!?!

Now...let's get this party started!!  Here is a list of all the host blogs this week.  Remember, like up and your recipe will be shown on all these blogs!!

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com

Robyn's View http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com

Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/  

Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink  http://everythingkitchensink.blogspot.com/  

Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes  http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com

Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/

Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/

Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com

Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com

Keira at Luscious Delights www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au

Tami at Food Forays http://www.foodforays.com

Step 1:  Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A Recipe...and is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsership/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage
• Please limit your link-ups to 3 per party

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com ) on the post of the recipe you are submitting.

* for example:  This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party)

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at http://foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday!
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all of our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest

***Please note that by linking up you are transferring rights to Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications to use photos/links/recipes for any reprint, republishing and distribution without monetary compensation to you.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit/ linkbacks will be published with them.  We just want to share your amazing recipes and spread some foodie <3 !

Have Fun and Thank You for Visiting!!

Caprese Panini

Last week I showed you how to make the classic caprese salad.  Today I have another way for you to enjoy that delicious combination of flavors - in a panini!!  This is such a simple meal and it is great for lunch or dinner.  It is a wonderful way to give kids an alternative to plain grilled cheese that they are sure to love.  Adults can eat these with tomato slices and bigger pieces of basil, but I choose to dice the tomato and cut the basil into ribbons so it is easier for my daughter to eat.  Enjoy this sandwich with a salad made from other summer vegetables.  

Ingredients
crusty white bread (I usually use a french miche for paninis)
butter
sliced mozzarella cheese
tomatoes, sliced or diced
basil, cut into thin ribbons

Directions

1. Butter the outside of the bottom pice of bread.
2. Place a single layer of mozzarella cheese on the inside of the bread.
3. Layer with tomatoes then basil.
4. Scatter a few more pieces of cheese on top of the tomatoes and basil.
5. Place the other slice of bread on top and butter the outside.
6. Place into a heated panini press and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden.