Summer Bean and Barley Salad....And My Flowers!

 I'm joining my Sister's Blog Linky Party again, "Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.  Go check out her blog,  Walking on Sunshine.   I'm sharing a couple of my favorite recipes, along with many other foodie bloggers. So please head on over to Walking on Sunshine, and join the fun!

What a hot week it surely was here in good old New Jersey!  The thermometer read 99 degrees yesterday at 12 noon.  Then the thunderstorms starting rolling through, and I mean ROLLING!!!  One after the other, the house shook, and the rain poured.  The flowers and grass outside are so happy and well watered, and I'm glad since it's been so very dry around here.

I love to garden, and take really good care of my flowers.  Here are some pictures of my flowers, this is not all of them, I need to take more pictures of the rest of my gardens. 

The picture above is our new outside light we just put up, and a really pretty planter I planted.....I just love this look!




One of my flower pots on the deck!



More flower pots......



My Hosta Garden!

My Herb Pot!

A new flower garden my Hubby made for me this year!

Our Perennial flower garden off the deck!

I love Barley.  Have you ever tried it?  My Mom use to make a delicious "Beef and Barley Soup", when I was growing up, and I loved it.  I have found a new love for Barley, you can cook it just like pasta in boiling hot water, but for about 40 minutes, instead of like 7 minutes for pasta.  Barley is a grain and needs to cook longer, but when it's done, it's so delicious, so tender, and perfect for a Summer salad, or better yet a Summer Bean and Barley Salad.



Doesn't this look DELICIOUS!!!

Barley is very how on the glycemic index, you know foods that are low in carbs, and won't raise your blood sugar.  This is perfect for me.  I like to substitute Barley for rice in dishes and you know, I do not miss the rice at all.

Try this salad, you will love it, and start eating Barley!

Summer Bean and Barley Salad

2 stalks of celery chopped small
1/2 red onion minced
1 whole cucumber peeled and chopped small
1 can Red Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
1 can Garbanzo Beans (Chick Peas) drained and rinsed
1/2 cup grape tomatoes quartered
3 TBS chopped fresh Parsley
1 cup cooked Barley

In a stock pot bring water to boil, salt it and add the uncooked Barley just like you were cooking pasta, cook for about 1/2 hour stirring once in a while.  After 20 minutes test the barley taste one, and see how soft it is, does it have to cook longer, or is it soft.  Barley should be soft, but not mushy.

Cooked Barley!

Drain the water and rinse the barley in cold water, you do not want it hot at this point. 

In a big bowl, add all the chopped veggies, beans, parsley, and add the barley. 

I usually make my own Italian Dressing, but I also use Good Season's Italian Dressing the kind in the packets where you add the oil, vinegar and water, it's really good!

Homemade Italian Dressing

1 cup of olive oil or canola oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tsp, oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS spicy brown mustard (yes it makes the dressing!)

Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk, or put in a jar and shake really well. Now taste it, what does it need, more salt, pepper, or sugar?  Add it, always taste your food!

Toss the Bean Salad with about 1/4 cup of the Italian Dressing, chill for about 1 hour.  Enjoy!



YUMMO!

MY Potato Salad

 I'm joining a Linky Party, "Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party" at my sister's blog, Walking on Sunshine.  I'm sharing a couple of my favorite recipes, along with many other foodie bloggers. So please head on over to Walking on Sunshine, and join the fun!

It sure feels like Summer!  It's been hot and dry, just the way I like it....in the Summer.  I wouldn't mind a rain shower a couple times a week....in the evening.  It hasn't rained here in a while, and the grass is brown and dry, something very common in the Summer, here in New Jersey. 

Potato Salad, a great Summertime side dish.  It's perfect for picnic's, BBQ's, and get-togethers.  I make this delicious Potato Salad, often. It;'s kind of like a "deviled egg" potato salad.  I use mayo, Italian dressing, and mustard in the dressing.  The flavor is perfect, and everyone RAVES over MY Potato Salad.  You will love this, try it!

Potato Salad

5lb of Red Potatoes scrubbed
4 stalks celery chopped small
1 medium red onion minced
5 hard boiled eggs chopped

1. In a large stockpot add the potatoes and enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, and cook for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and a large knife goes through the potato easily, without any resistance.  Drain all the water, and let cool, or do this the day before.

2. Peel the COOKED potatoes, I use the back of a small spoon, this makes it so much easier!  Slice the potatoes into chunks.

3. In a large bowl add the sliced potatoes, chopped celery, minced red onion, and chopped hard boiled eggs. 

The Dressing

1 cup of Italian Dressing - I use Good Seasons Packets where you have to mix it with the oil, vinegar and water......or I make my own
1 & 1/2 cups Mayonnaise
3 TBS Spicy Brown Mustard
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

4. Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk, add to the Potatoes and mix really well.  Taste it what does it need, more salt, or pepper?   Is it dry?  Does it need more Italian Dressing?  Always taste your food. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.  Enjoy!  So YUMMO!

Doesn't that look YUMMO!

Make this for your next Picnic!

Counting Down to July 4th......Cole Slaw!

Baby it's HOT outside!  It's 97 degrees, and it's a scorcher today.  We were outside in the pool, and yes it was refreshing, but it's just too hot! 

I am counting down to July 4th.  We have a big July 4th celebration almost every year, and it's usually at our house, since we have the pool.  I enjoy having my family over, we always have a good time, the food is always great, and everyone always helps with it. 

Cole Slaw, I just love it, and it's a big Summertime food, especially for BBQ's and picnics.  I've been making Cole Slaw for years, but just a couple weeks ago, I made this most delicious Cole Slaw, came up with the recipe all on my own, yeah, I do that a lot......and it came out so good, my hubby loved it. 

What are you cooking for July 4th?  Are you hosting this special Summer holiday?  Enjoy this holiday, invite your family, and friends over for a bbq, try some new recipes, make an ice cream cake, or a flag cake.  When you get the hang of it, entertaining the people you love is very simple, so go for it!

Cole Slaw

1/2 head of regular cabbage, slice thin in little strips
2 whole carrots shreddred or 1 cup of shedded carrots
1 green onion chopped small

Head of Cabbage!

Or you can buy the bagged Cole Slaw mix, but honestly, I feel it gets too mushy, so I buy a whole head of cabbage, it's cheaper! Chop up 1/2 head of cabbage for this cole slaw. Cut up the cabbage, into thin little strips, shred the carrots on a box grater, or better yet buy a bag of shredded carrots, but you only need 1 cup of carrots.  Chop up the green onion.  Put it all in a very big bowl.

The dressing

3/4 cup of Mayo
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
1 TBS sugar (I use Splenda)
3 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until all blended.  Now taste it, what does it need, more sugar, more vinegar?  It's all up to you and your taste buds!

Pour the dressing over the cabbage slaw and mix really well, taste it again making sure it's right.  Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.  I always make this the day before!  YUMMO!

Counting Down to July 4th....Taco Salad!

It's been a beautiful day here in Northern New Jersey, sunny and HOT!  Exactly what I enjoy in the Summer. We were invited over to my friends house today for lunch and to swim in their pool, it was a wonderful day!  Hanging with good friends is so refreshing especially in a POOL! 

Taco Salad, it's so good.  I love this salad because it has so many good things in it, especially one of my favorites......Doritos! 

This recipe is a great one, perfect for a Summer get-together.  It's easy, and everyone loves it. I usually make my Homemade Italian Dressing, it only takes a few more minutes than whipping up the Good Seasons, it's so fresh, and really easy....try it.  But I know the Good Seasons is so convenient, so it's up to you. 

This will be one of the salads I will be making for our Fourth of July party.  Hope you make it too!  Enjoy!


Taco Salad

2 whole heads of Romain Lettuce chopped
1 Red pepper chopped
1 Green pepper chopped
2 Tomatoes chopped
1 small red onion chopped
1 can of sliced black olives
1 Avocado chopped (optional)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of black or kidney beans DRAINED and RINSED
1 bag of crushed (yes crushed but not TOO CRUSHED) Doritos (any flavor but I like to use the Taco flavor)
1 lb chop meat cooked in a skillet until no longer pink and COOLED - you can do this the day before
1 pkt Taco seasoning

Get a really BIG BOWL, the biggest one you have in the house! Cook the chop meat in a skillet, drain all the fat, then add the taco seasoning to it and mix really well, cool or do it earlier in the day or the night before. To the big bowl, add all the ingredients, and then pour the Italian dressing on top, and mix really well. Sometimes before a party I will add all the ingredients in one big bowl, and keep in the frig, then right before we eat, add the Doritos and mix it up with the dressing! So easy, so fresh, and so delicious! YUMMO!

Homemade Italian Dressing

1 cup of olive oil or canalo oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tsp, oregano
1 tsp. italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS spicy brown mustard

Mix all the ingredients together with a whisk, or put in a mason jar and shake really well. 

Homemade Italian Dressing!

OR USE Good Seasons Dressing - if you want buy a bottle of any Italian Dressing, but the Good Seasons, the one where you have to make it with the oil and vinegar is really the best one!

This is the BEST, and use Cider Vinegar!



So YUMMO, don't you want this for dinner tonight!