Spiral Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil and Olive Sauce

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

One of my favorite dishes during summertime is a cold pasta salad. It's great for picnics in the park, as a BBQ side dish, or as a whole meal in itself. For me though, I love sitting out on my deck as the day is winding down with a bowl of pasta salad and a glass of white wine. It's my ultimate summertime comfort meal. I try not to use my stove often on hot days, so keeping an already prepared batch of it in the fridge is a must for me this time of the year. There are so many different ways you can prepare it, but one of my favorites is this Spiral Pasta with Fresh Tomato, Basil, and Olive Sauce, a recipe I found on Golden Blossom Honey. 

 

 

The secret to a good pasta salad not only lies in the dressing, but fresh ingredients are what makes the dish go from just good to fantastic. Look, I'll use dried herbs and spices here and there, and I'm also known to pop into the grocers and grab the least pathetic looking veggies when I'm in a pinch. However, I take full advantage of my summer garden, growing fresh veggies and herbs to use in dishes like this all summer long. I'm not saying store bought produce is bad in this recipe, but if you have your own garden or access to an organic farmer's market, you're going to want to use the freshest ingredients possible here. Also, I love me some cheese with my pasta, and while the grated or shredded variety is perfectly fine here, I prefer cubed mozzarella chunks in my salad, so that's the only change I make when preparing this recipe.

Ingredients

Sauce:
4 cups chopped tomatoes
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup black olives, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound gemelli or other spiral type pasta
1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest!  

 

 

 

Do you eat pasta salad in the summertime?

 

 

 

 

 

Buttermilk Corn Pancakes Make Father's Day Extra Special!

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I don't know how we're already in June, but here we are. Father's Day is coming in hot, so now is the time to make your celebratory plans for that special dad in your life. You'll probably see a lot of grilling recipes pop up over the next week or two that dad might enjoy for his special day, but in this house, Jason would probably be more excited to be served breakfast instead of dinner. One of his first jobs was busing tables at the local pancake house, so he's always had a soft spot for breakfast foods. With the approaching Father's Day holiday falling in tandem with the first day of summer, what better time to whip up these Buttermilk Corn Pancakes, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe?

 

 

Is there anything better than that first bite of summer sweet corn? The first mouthful that I had of these pancakes immediately evoked memories of spending warm summer days on my granny's farm down south. Eating sweet corn and sipping southern sweet tea while sitting on the porch swing will always be some of my fondest childhood memories. These pancakes were a nice little reminder of my southern roots. I never would have thought to add sweet corn to my pancake batter, but y'all, it works. The added flavor and texture of the corn kernels would make these pancakes win the blue ribbon at the county fair. Absolutely delish! And you don't need syrup for this stack. Not only do they cook up light and fluffy, but there's a whole lot of sweetness in the batter alone. Just a touch of honey drizzled on top is all you need here. Whip up some blue ribbon worthy pancakes for dad this year and he might admit that you are, indeed, his favorite child.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg, separated
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from cob or frozen, thawed and drained

1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY, warmed

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest!  

 

 

 

Do you prefer to be served breakfast or dinner for special days?

 

 

 

 

 

Mocha Ice Cream Pie

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

In the words of Taylor Swift, "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22!" Actually, I'm not, but Wednesday is Mariah's 22nd birthday. On top of her birthday, I am a super proud mama since not only did she graduate from Purdue University with a bachelors degree in biochemistry last month, but she also landed the job that she was hoping to get fresh out of school. All of these big things in her life is a definite cause for celebration! Since she is here for the week, I thought it would be a nice time to make this Mocha Ice Cream Pie, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, to reward her for all of her life's accomplishments.

This pie has all of her weaknesses wrapped into one cool, creamy, dreamy dessert. I have never known her to turn down coffee, chocolate, or ice cream (she practically bit my head off in Ireland when I helped myself to more than my fair share of her cone, but that's a story for another day LOL). I really can't think of a more perfect pie for her. The recipe didn't call for it, but I thought the top needed to be dressed up a bit, so I topped the pie with some chocolate shavings, but I also think it would be fun to decorate with chocolate covered espresso beans for an even more elegant touch. Or, leave it plain. The coffee and chocolate ice cream combination packs a ton of flavor into this recipe, no extra toppings are necessary taste-wise. Plain or fancy, you simply can't go wrong here.

 

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Crust:
15 Oreo cookies
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
1 pint coffee ice cream, slightly softened
1 pint chocolate ice cream, slightly softened

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest!  

 

 

 

What's something good that's happened in your life recently?

 

 

 

 

 

1-2-3 Chicken Salad w/ Roasted Nuts

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

Dare I say that while it's not officially summer per the calendar, this heat is telling me otherwise. I love the warmer temperatures, but yesterday I broke down and put the air conditioning on. Hotter days mean it's time to start serving lighter foods because who wants a belly full of heavy food on days that require you to crank on the air? We eat a lot more veggies this time of the year, so having good salad recipes on hand is always a must. I found this 1-2-3 Chicken Salad with Roasted Nuts on Golden Blossom Honey and immediately knew it was going to be a keeper of a recipe for me to use time and time again. 

 

 

I know that I try to use my oven as little as possible from now through September, and if you're like me, you use it sparingly as well. So instead of oven baking your chicken, throwing it on the grill will not only keep the heat out of your house, it will add a bit more of a smokey flavor to this dish. I like the simplicity of the salad dressing as well. I always have these recipe ingredients on hand, so when I forget to stock up on our regular dressing, it's good to know I can whip this tasty dressing up without having to head to the store. It will also make a great marinade, so this is a multi dimensional recipe. Break it apart and use it several different ways in your recipes this summer to maximize your ingredients, stretch your budget and eat light all summer long.

 

Ingredients

Dressing:
3/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY MUSTARD


Salad:
4 cups cooked chicken, cut into 1/2-inch strips
8 cups mixed salad greens
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 cup honey-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest!  

 

 

 

What are your favorite salad mix-ins?

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Deserving Father Figures With Entenmann’s Donuts! #Entenmanns #EntenMANofTheYear

“The coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Entenmann’s so that I could try the products and share my thoughts and information about Entenmann’s®. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions of Entenmann’s®.”  

 

 

Do you have an awesome father figure in your life? If so, I need to tell you about this incredible opportunity you have to honor your father figure by nominating him or her into the EntenMAN of the Year Father's Day Contest hosted by Entenmann's®. By doing so, you'll give them the opportunity to win amazing prizes, such as a Daytona Race Trip Package, an authentic race-used Entenmann's autographed driver fire suit, and/or a year supply of Entenmann's Donuts! From May 10 to June 21, nominate a father figure who inspires you, whether it be a dad, coach, teacher, or anyone else that has made a fatherly impact on your life. 

 

For me, I'll be nominating my father-in-law, Carl, otherwise known as Pop. 

 

Growing up, I never had a steady father figure in my life. I was never close to my own dad and had 4 different step-dads over the course of my youth. Coming from a broken home was tough, and I admit, when I first started dating my now husband, there were times that I felt super awkward visiting his parental home. I was very guarded and had my walls up, but Carl was patient and kind and gave me time to work through the misconceptions that I had about fathers and men in general. Pop is a committed family man, having celebrated 50 years of marriage to my beautiful mother-in-law just a few years ago, he was a dedicated delivery driver for a large soda company for over 40 years until his retirement, and one of the best and most honorable men I have ever met in my life. With his example on how a man should care and provide for his family, he gave my husband the tools he needed going into his own marriage to create a long and lasting partnership. He's the king of bad dad jokes, the slowest driver in the world, and will tell you a story for hours on end. He's definitely a talker! But he's always there when you need a helping hand, fatherly advice, or just plain good company. 

 

He's an amazing grandfather and took it in good stride when all he got was granddaughters. Though he did nickname Allison as Al since he so wanted his last grandbaby to finally be a boy LOL! (Don't worry, he eventually got 3 great grandsons that are turning his hair greyer faster than the granddaughters ever did!) 

He has a sweet tooth that is only beat by my mother-in-law's, never one to turn down my chocolate chip cookies, but boy was he excited when I told him I was partnering with Entenmann's and wanted to feature him in this post. He thinks he's going to be internet famous now, hehehe! So cute! But he was even more excited to bring his wife our leftover Entenmann's Donuts from our photo shoot because he knows that she loves them and he was going to score major hubby points with that move!

 

For me, Carl was the missing puzzle piece that I needed in my life. He may just be my father-in-law, but to me, he's that dad that I never knew I needed until he came along. He's the true definition of what it means to be an EntenMAN of the Year and I am honored to have him in my life.

 

If someone has made such an impact on your life, I hope you'll take the time to honor your father figure (male or female) into the EntenMAN of the Year Father's Day Contest. Remember, you have until June 21 to enter to win some pretty sweet prizes!  

Also, be sure to check out these fun donut-inspired dad gear creations from Custom Ink. Entenmann's has partnered with them to bring you limited edition apparel that dad is going to love! Order yours in time for Father's Day!

 WIN IT!

 

One lucky Theresa's Mixed Nuts reader is going to win  (3) Entenmann's coupons to purchase donuts +  a $25 Virtual Visa Gift Card! The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S., and will run through 6/1/21. The winner will have 24 hours to respond to winning email before a new one is chosen. As some participants aren't on all social media platforms, I offer multiple ways to enter, but remember, each one is optional. Enter only the ones you'd like an entry for. Good luck!

 

 

 

Entry-Form

Pound Cake w/ Ice Cream Nuts & Chocolate Sauce

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

Raise your hand if you're excited about these warmer temps we've been having lately. I'm over here waving both of my hands wildly. This is my favorite time of the year, when you can ride around town with the windows down, just letting the wind blow and the warm breeze wash over you. We love long car rides here on warm days, and we usually just drive with no destination in mind. And, even though we never intentionally set out for it, we almost always end up somewhere that there's ice cream. But, because I'm still prepping for this week's craft fair and Jason is finishing up some house projects, we haven't taken that first late spring/early summer drive just yet. But, thankfully there have been some pretty good sales on ice cream here and I've been taking full advantage and stocking up. To sweeten things up this week, instead of just scooping out the cold, creamy treat into bowls, I thought I'd finally make this Pound Cake with Ice Cream, Nuts and Chocolate Sauce recipe that I've been saving from Golden Blossom Honey since last year. 

 

I'm a vanilla ice cream girl through and through, but give me all of the toppings! This recipe excited me because it doesn't have just one topping to indulge in, it has 3! Nuts and chocolate are usually a given on my sundaes, but I'll admit, I don't usually toss toasted coconut in there. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the additional flavor and texture combination it lent to the finished product and will for sure be stocking up on coconut to add to my ice cream concoctions all summer long.

Ingredients

Sauce:
8-ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM RAW HONEY


1 purchased pound cake cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 - 1/2 cup Grand Marnier or orange juice
vanilla ice cream, or flavor of your choice
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted and tossed with 1 tablespoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted

 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest!  

 

 

 

Do you like taking car rides in the summertime?