Moore Potato Salad- An Old Fashioned Recipe with a Twist

Summertime is full of parties and BBQ’s and Pool Parties. We were invited to a neighbor’s home for BBQ and I said that I would make a Potato Salad. Why did I say that? I have never ever made potato salad, I always make pasta salad or a green salad or dessert, but  potato salad, never. Lucky for me I always have potatoes on hand because my family could eat potatoes every day. Hubs is Irish, so potatoes are like a main course for him, he could have potatoes with a side of potatoes, well so could I….. This is an Old Fashioned Potato Salad with a twist. I add Kalamata Olives, which gives it a full flavor, I use green pepper which adds crunch and color. I like my Potato Salad with egg, it adds a creaminess and yummy texture. This could be a meal if you would like to add bacon, but our friend is vegan so I did not include that ingredient, but it does sound delicious.

Here is how you make Moore’s Potato Salad, To make the perfect hard boiled eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add quartered potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, chop into bite size pieces, I leave the skins on my potatoes, love the flavor, you can choose to peel or leave the skin on, your choice.

Chop onion put in a large bowl.

Chop green pepper, next time I make potato salad, I am going to use red and orange and yellow, what a pretty salad that would be! Add to onion in large bowl.

Chop Kalamata Olives, add to bowl.

I add 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard.

It says 1/4 cup, but I added 1 cup of Mayonnaise, I like my Potato Salad creamy.

Penzey’s Spices Dried French Tarragon, add 1/4 tsp.

Chop Bread and Butter Pickles, add to bowl.

Chop 2 hard boiled eggs, add to bowl, see a pattern here?

Drain Potatoes, let cool, chop.

Try the potatoes with the skins on, I bet you will like it.

Chop up the potatoes into bite size pieces, you got it! ADD TO BOWL!! I am just checking to make sure you are paying attention and you are!! What a good student you are!

Taste, add fresh ground pepper and salt, you may not need much salt, Kalamata Olives are salty.

I added a couple tablespoons more of mayo, it was a bit dry for my liking.

Perfect Potato Salad for the BBQ!!

I couldn’t wait for the BBQ, I had a bowl for lunch!

I am doubling the recipe next time, this potato salad is so delicious, why have I never made it before??

This is just as easy to make as my Pasta Salad and the great thing is you can add whatever you have in the cupboard, you can also kick it up a bit with jalapenos or banana peppers that aren’t too spicy. Basil or Parsley would be a nice addition also, have fun! Happy BBQ’s! Nettie

Ingredients

• 7 potatoes ( cut into quarters)
• 2 eggs- chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata Olives  
• 1/2 cup chopped Bread and Butter Pickle Chips
• 1/4 teaspoon French Tarragon Dried
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Fresh Ground Pepper and Salt to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, Kalamata Olives, green pepper, onion, pickles, Tarragon, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mix together well and refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 8 Cups. This post has been linked up with these fabulous blogs! This recipe has been featured at The All Star Block Party!!

Print Recipe

Easy Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

Enchiladas are an easy delicious meal. There are endless options for the fillings.Use chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian, the combinations are endless.

Today, I have made Easy Cheesy Beef Enchiladas with Ground Beef,  Onions, Green Chiles and Olives. I am sorry to say that I didn’t get a picture of the inside of the enchilada, obviously you have to be quick with the camera in my house!!My kids ate them up very quickly. Yes these are always a big hit. I always make a double batch just for that reason, they go very quickly. Serve with a side of brown rice, refried beans and a Mango Margarita, ARRRIBBBA! 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1  lb. Natural Ground Beef
• I small can chopped Black Olives
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 small can Green Chiles
•  8 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese (grated)
• 2 small cans enchilada sauce
• 1 jar mild salsa
• 1 package ( 12 count) small tortillas ( flour or corn)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat Olive oil in a  saute pan, add chopped onions, saute until soft about 2 minutes.
3. Add ground beef cook until brown, drain fat.
4. Add one can Enchilada Sauce, 1 cup grated Cheese, Olives and Chiles to the onions and meat mixture.
5. Spread 1 tbsp. of meat mixture to the middle of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla.
6. Place tortilla seam side down and repeat step 5 until all of the meat mixture has been used.
7. Pour 1/2 can Enchilada Sauce and 1/4 jar mild salsa over the tortillas. 
8. Add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese on top, covering the tortillas. 
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden.

Serves 4

I have linked up this recipe to these fabulous blogs!:

Print Recipe

MOORE Pasta Puccini Salad and a Garden Party

This is my favorite Cold Pasta Salad to make for a Garden Party, BBQ, or any warm day. The ingredients are fresh and flavorful. I use a small pasta, Acini de Pepe, which adds to the texture in a slight and not overpowering way, not giving you the sense of a mouthful of pasta. It looks like an Israeli Couscous, but it really is a pasta.

I co-hosted a neighborhood Garden Party with our dear neighbors, they are in their 80’s, but they run circles around me. I just love their energy, great health, wisdom, upbeat attitude  and love for travel. They have just returned  from Florence for the umpteenth time, I would like to be like them when I grow up!

Moore’s Pasta Puccini

I woke up the next day and completely forgot to add an ingredient, it was still delicious! Pine Nuts!

Cashew Asparagus Pasta

Judy’s Pasta Salad with Cannellini Beans and Artichoke hearts. Delicious

Lentil Salad~ a wonderful combination of veggies and citrus, delicious cold.

A beautiful array of wonderful dishes for our Pot Luck. It just turned out to be all Vegetarian.

Lovely Garden, wonderful design, love the bordering rocks

One of the beautiful Gardens.

A lovely Hydrangea

A lovely spot to enjoy a cocktail.

Men discussing ART

New Friends

Thank you for the lovely party, I am so lucky to have such wonderful neighbors and friends.

Moore Pasta Puccini
Ingredients

1 lb Acini De Pepe Pasta
1 bunch Basil chiffonade
6 ounces Kalamata Olives pitted and chopped
1 6 Ounces Goat Cheese
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes quartered
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Pine Nuts ( browned)

Directions

In a large pot bring salted water to a boil, add pasta, cook as directed on package, until pasta is Al Dente. Drain and let come to room temperature.

In a separate large bowl, add Olive Oil, Tomatoes, Basil, Goat Cheese, Kalamata Olives, Pine Nuts and toss to coat, add fresh ground pepper. After the pasta has cooled, add to the other ingredients. Chill in the refrigerator. Toss when ready to serve. Sprinkle Basil Chiffonade over pasta.
This post has been linked up to these fabulous blogs:

Print Recipe

LONG SHADOW FARM MORRILL MAINE ~ Farmers Market

I am a huge fan and supporter of our local Farmer’s Markets. On Saturday’s, there is a wonderful Farmer’s Market at the Reny’s Plaza in Belfast, Maine. We are so lucky to have LONG SHADOW FARM as one of the vendor’s. Long Shadow Farm is a CSA. They supply vegetables and herbs to local restaurants and markets. Along with a large array of vegetables, fruits and herbs, Long Shadow Farm also has a beautiful selection of flowers. Support your local farms and Farmer’s Markets in Maine.

 

Varigated Petunia’s

Herbs

 

Assortment of lettuce seedlings.

Wonderful vegetables and Herbs

A variety of Tomato Seedlings

Print Recipe

Easy Coffee Rub Brownies ( Fire and Flavor)

I just LOVE brownies! Especially when they are warm out of the oven! I cheated here and used a mix, I wanted to try the combination from Fire and Flavor’s Coffee Rub and I just happened to have a brownie mix. I added an extra egg to make the brownies more like a cake, and with the coffee rub seasoning, the brownies were delicious!Friends stopped by, I think they smelled the brownies baking outside….mmmmm, I couldn’t wait to cut into these delicious, warm, melt in your mouth, perfect brownies. I really liked how the coffee rub added to the flavor. Would I make them again? Absolutely!

I prefer the corner piece PLEASE!!!

Yummy warm Brownie with a scoop of Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream.

Coffee Rub Brownies are delicious paired with Savage Oakes Wines Malbec, Nor’Easter

Coffee Rub from Fire and Flavor

Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies, directions from the Brownies mix box. You will need : 1 Package Brownie Mix 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil    3 eggs for a cake-ier brownie 1 Tablespoon Coffee Rub from FIRE AND FLAVOR Heat oven to 350 degrees for 9″ x 9″ pan, 325 degrees for 8 inch pan Grease or spray with cooking spray bottom only of pan Stir Brownie Mix, Water, Oil and Eggs until well blended. Spread in pan, 9″ x 9″, or 8″ x 8″ Bake for 35 to 50 minutes, longer for the batter in the 8 inch pan. Test brownies for done-ness with wooden toothpick, inserted about  2 inches from edge of pan. Batter may still be a little moist, but will be completely done by the time it cools.This recipe has been linked up to these wonderful blogs!

Print Recipe

First Giveaway Slow Cooker From Moore or Less Cooking and SlimKicker

I am so excited to announce that I having my First Giveaway! I have joined up with SlimKicker (a healthy living/fitness app). SlimKicker is an app that is helpful in motivating healthy lifestyles using a game of rewards, points and challenges. Along with this helpful way of achieving goals, there is also a calorie counter for tracking calories:http://www.slimkicker.com/foodDatabase

It’s very simple, just leave a comment below suggesting a fun, creative fitness or diet challenge in 1-2 sentences.and SlimKicker will pick their favorite challenge idea, use it on their site, and give the winner a slow cooker!

Here is The Slow Cooker Giveaway!!  http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Deluxe-Stay-Cooker/dp/B001LNM4ZE/ref=sr_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1338045296&sr=8-19

I love my Slow Cooker! Here is a simple and delicious recipe for all of you slow cooker fans that my gal pal Shirley shared with me. She has made it many times for parties and for home and it is always a big Hit!!

Shirley’s Slow Cooker Chicken

4 chicken breasts (but you can use leg and thigh if you want)

I placed them into the cooker.  I mixed in a Pyrex 2 cup size,

1 cup low sodium chicken broth, and one pkg of Taco seasoning. (I found the Kroeger brand better than another I used)

I also, added 1 tsp. of the Better Than Bouillon paste in a jar. It gave the dish a richer sauce.

I put it onto slow cooking for 4 hours, and the first time I needed some more time and added the high for a short time.

I separate the fat from the sauce in a separator, but if you leave it overnight the fat rises to the top. (I leave the skin on)

Serve with rice or potatoes.

Easy, breezy.

Thank you Shirley for sharing this delicious recipe with MOORE OR LESS COOKING! Nettie

This giveaway is limited to the residents of the U.S.A.

Contest ends June 9, 2012

Just leave a comment below suggesting a fun, creative fitness or diet challenge in 1-2 sentences and SlimKicker will pick their favorite challenge idea, use it on their site, and give the winner a slow cooker! 


For extra entries:

Please follow Moore or Less Cooking on Facebook. Leave a separate comment that you did!

Please follow Moore or Less Cooking on Twitter. Leave a separate comment that you did!

Please Follow Moore or Less Cooking on Pinterest. Leave a separate comment that you did!

Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook. Leave a separate comment  that you did!

Print Recipe