Browsing Category FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES
Anita’s Super Fast and Delicious Roasted Zucchini Orzo Pasta
Ingredients
12 ounces uncooked Orzo Pasta
3 Tablespoon extra virgin Olive Oil
1 large red onion, diced
4 Zucchini, half moon cut
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon marinara sauce (see my recipe)
1 Tablespoon oregano, ground
2 diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 garlic cloves, minced
Preparation
- Bring water to boil over high-heat. Stir in orzo pasta and cooked uncovered for about 10 to 12 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain well.
2. Heat oven at 400 grade Fahrenheit and roast zucchini, diced red onions. Drizzle with olive oil. Add minced garlic, and seasoned with salt, pepper, grind oregano and granulated garlic powder. Add marinara sauce. Toss all ingredients. Roast in a baking pan until tender for about 30 minutes. Set aside. 
3. Incorporate roasted zucchini, red onions into the orzo pasta, and fresh tomatoes. Toss well. Squeeze half of a lemon juice over mixed pasta. Enjoy!
Anita’s Summer Best Greek Salad
Ingredients
4-5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3-4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon mint, dried
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
Salt and Pepper TT(to taste)
Preparation
- In a large salad bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried mint, dried oregano and minced garlic. Whisk all ingredients.
- Incorporate Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, kalamata olives, fresh mint, and crumble feta cheese over the top of vinaigrette in bowl.
3. Toss before serving and serve. Enjoy!
Anita’s Super Easy 4 Ingredients Sweet Corn Bread
Ingredients
1 (7 1/2 ounces )cornmeal mix
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1/4 cup salted melted butter
1 can (15 ounce) cream of corn
Preparation
- Place cream of corn into a medium-size bowl
2.Incorporate cornmeal mixture and add milk 
3. Add melted butter 
4. Mix well all ingredients and pour mixture into two little ceramic loaf pan or into a 9×5 inch loaf pan 
5. Place them in the middle rack of your oven and bake at 350 grades Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until light golden brown . Serve warm or at room temperature. Creamy and delicious. Enjoy!
Anita best Basil Pesto
Ingredients
3 cups of fresh Basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 to 5 cloves of garlic
3/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan
3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 extra Tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Place garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Add basil leaves, olive oil and process until a smooth paste has formed.
- Seasoned with salt and pepper. Mix in the grated cheese.
- Transfer to a glass airtight jar. Drizzle the 1 extra Tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
- Place in refrigerator or you can freeze it into ice cubes container and use portions as needed.
Anita’s Refreshing Mandarin Arugula Salad
Ingredients
3 fresh mandarin oranges, sectioned
1/2 cup fresh mandarin juice
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups of Arugula, pre-washed and rinsed
1 large avocado, diced
Preparation
- Combine fresh mandarin juice, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and whisk together.
- Add salt, pepper to vinaigrette.
- Add arugula leaves, avocado and segmented peeled mandarins. Toss all ingredients gently and serve. Enjoy!
Anita’s Healthy and Light Tabbouleh
Ingredients
5 bunches Italian flat leaf Parsley, pre-washed, dried and finely chopped by hand
4 Roma tomatoes, small diced
1 1/2 bunch fresh mint, pre-washed and finely chopped
2 green onions, finely sliced(optional)
2 Tablespoon fine cracked wheat (bulgur), soaked in water for 10 minutes
2-3 Fresh lemons, juiced
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Pomegranate Molasses(optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon fresh finely ground black pepper
Preparation
- Add to a large bowl chopped and dried with clean towel flat leaf parsley.
- Add chopped mint and diced tomatoes.
- Drain bulgur from water and add. Place bowl in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from fridge. Incorporate extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice. Toss all together.
- Add salt and pepper.
- Ready to serve with romaine lettuce leaves or grape leaves. Enjoy!
Anita’s Delicious Shish Kebab
Ingredients
3 pounds Sirloin Steak, cut into 2 inch cubes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoon Worchester Sauce
1/4 cup red wine
4 large onions, halves
4 fresh Roma Tomato, whole
6 metal or bamboo skewers
Preparation
- Place sirloin pieces into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add garlic, Worchester sauce, red wine, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin and vegetable oil. Toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate marinade for 4 to 5 hours or even overnight.
- Remove marinade steak from refrigerator and prepare shish kebab into skewers.
- Preheat indoor or outdoor grill to medium heat.
- Prepare halves onions and whole tomatoes into separate skewers.
- Place steak and vegetable skewers on the grill. Grill steak Kebabs until all sides of meat are brown for about 10 to 12 minutes and vegetables are tender.
- Remove from grill. Cover for 2 to 5 minutes with foil. Serve and enjoy!
Anita’s Mushroom, Green Onions and Cheese Omelet
A delicious breakfast or lunch! My daughter’s favorite omelet.
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 baby Portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 green onions, chopped small (all green and white parts)
1 1/2 slices Muenster Cheese or Cheddar
Salt and Pepper TT (to taste)
Preparation
- In a small bowl beat eggs with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in skillet at medium-low heat.
- Stir in mushroom and sate until soft and tender for about 2 minutes. Incorporate green onions and cook until slightly soften.
- Pour in beaten eggs. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add cheese pieces. When cheese is starting to melt fold omelet in half.
- Cook till slightly crispy and golden brown on both sides.
- Ready to serve warm. Enjoy!
Anita’s Creamiest and Smoky Eggplant Dip
Ingredients
2 medium size eggplants
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoon Tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon salt
Preparation
- Place whole unpeeled eggplant over a medium heat gas flame .
- Using tongs utensils turn eggplant on each side till skin is totally blistered and eggplant are soft from the inside.
- Soak eggplants in cold water for about 8 to 10 minutes to cool.
- Remove from water and drain completely.
- Peel eggplants and place in a food processor (if you prefer it creamy),or for more chunky texture: you can make it by hand.
- Pour tahini, lemon juice and garlic over eggplants and seasoned with salt. Process until creamy and all well combined.
- Serve with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Garnish with parsley and make a rose out of the skin of a tomato to place in the center. Enjoy!
Anita’s Simple Tomato, Cucumber, Avocado Salad
Ingredients
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2-3 Persian cucumbers, diced
1 avocado, diced
3 Tablespoons fresh basil, long thin strips
1 Tablespoon dried mint
3 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
Preparation
- Place cherry tomatoes, diced cucumbers and avocados into a bowl.
- Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and pomegranate molasses. Add salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried mint and mix all together.
- Pour over salad and toss gently. Stack leaves of basil and roll them tightly, then slice them perpendicular to the roll. Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves thin strips. Can be refrigerated one hour before serving. Enjoy!
