Tomato and Chickpea Salad with Asian Barbecue Chicken and Grilled Corn on the Cob

I normally don't get excited about chickpeas but this was one really hit my palette tonight.  It is definitely a keeper.  The recipe gets points for simplicity and budget friendly without compromising on taste.  I even varied it with half cherry tomatoes and have chopped Roma tomatoes since that is what I had on hand and didn't sacrifice any of the flavor.  I am excited to see how the leftovers hold up tomorrow.  This could stand as a snack, lunch or dinner side dish, or possibly through in some diced chicken or salami and make it a main.  I'm even thinking I would happily eat this leftovers as a quick breakfast option for a great way to start a summer morning.  Not sure if the masses would be with me on this one or not but it sounds good to me!

Click here for the full recipe:  http://rachelschultz.com/2013/01/19/tomato-chickpea-salad/

We served this with corn on the cob and Asian Barbecue Chicken (one of my favorite grill standbys):  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/asian-barbecue-chicken-10000000698696/

Pesto and Sundried Tortellini with Orange Pepper and Green Beans

Made this for lunch today.  Would easily cart well to a picnic.  Caitlyn was a huge fan of the tortellini which we gave to her plain because I was not sure if the pesto would be too strong for her.  So we will be seeing this again somewhat regularly I imagine.  Will change up the veggies to keep it interesting.

Ingredients:

Cheese Tortelini
Prepared Pesto
Julienne sundried tomato
Shredded Parmesan
Green Beans
Orange Bell Pepper

Prepare the Tortellini according to package directions.  Saute the green beans and orange pepper until crisp tender.  Toss all items together.  Good warm or at room temperature.

Mom's Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This makes a great family dinner.  I steamed fresh broccoli instead of frozen and used rotisserie chicken.  A little labor intensive for the typical weeknight but easy to make ahead and freeze.  We served this over rice with some sriracha sauce for a bit of kick.

Strawberry, Cucumber, and Basil Salad

Great summer salad. The cucumbers do not hold up for very long so only make enough for the meal at hand and serve immediately.

Creamy Corn and Chorizo-Stuffed Mushrooms

We enjoyed this recipe, mostly because stuffed mushrooms are a bit of a novelty for us and a nice breakup from the daily routine.  We used italian sausage in place of chorizo which would have been to spicy for the kids.  We also made them on the grill which was fun.  They were good but not particularly special.  For the labor involved I think next time I would just buy something ready made like artichoke dip to stuff the mushrooms with for convenience and probably enjoy just as much.

Southwestern Steak, Corn, and Black Bean Wraps

This is a great recipe that I will definitely make again. I loved the flank steak and corn and black bean salsa and the pepperjack cheese was a nice touch. The leftovers were fantastic also. I also added sour cream, sriracha, and fresh spinach to the burritos which really rounded them out.