Buckeye Balls

Oh man, it has been a few weeks since posting.  Time can fly sometimes.  Over the past month there have been some fun events happening…the search and purchase of the bridesmaid dresses and my mom’s retirement from teaching (go mom!). 

Searching for a bridesmaid dress is an interesting and overwhelming experience…so many colors, styles, and fabrics to choose from.  Ann, being the great sister she is, pretty much gave me full reign to pick whatever I wanted. 

Corn & Black Bean Salsa

Finally! Warm (well somewhat warm) weather in Chicago that lasts more than a day!  It has been fun to see Chicagoans emerge from their winter hibernation.  Everyone is looking forward to summer barbecues and spending time outdoors.  In celebration of that and the fact that Cinco de Mayo is one week away, I thought I would share my ‘famous’ corn and black bean salsa recipe.  Okay, okay, maybe it isn’t famous, but it is AMAZING, and I plan on entering it in our Quaker Cinco de Mayo salsa competition this week (fingers crossed!).  This one is definitely a keeper and a crowd pleaser.  Don’t be shy with the lime juice and salt…it makes the difference.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Man, time can fly sometimes and the past few weeks have been GREAT.  I got to hang out in Cincinnati for a weekend with friends and see the old stomping grounds.  Lots of fun, laughs, coffee,  walks, food, wine, smores  and maybe even a tear or two from me (I blame it on the wine).   Sometimes it can be hard to have your closest friends spread across the country, but when we get together it is that much more fun.  I got to see my two favorite dogs in Cinci, Hank & Lucy who gave me lots of doggy kisses.   

Spaghetti Pie

Recently I have been on a “tour de Klindt Family Recipes” so that I can 1. Indulge myself a bit and 2. Get all the recipes written and photographed to share with all of you!  This one was introduced to our family when my little brother was born (if I am remembering the story correctly).  A friend of my mom’s dropped off a frozen casserole of spaghetti pie to my parents to help them out a little bit when our family expanded to 3 kids (outnumbering our parents).  

Roasted Broccoli

This week I was inspired by a friend’s Facebook post of what she was having for dinner…well, as a side for dinner…roasted broccoli.  When cooking broccoli I usually do the standard (okay maybe a little boring) steamed with a little butter and salt – quick easy and to the point.  As I started looking up roasted broccoli recipes I began to understand why people rave about it. I loved it when I tasted the end product.  It was an explosion of flavor in each bite with a combination of garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and of course, broccoli.  This is a great side dish that will spice up any dinner plate. 

Quinoa Buffalo Chicken Bites

As many people know, I love buffalo chicken…I love buffalo wings, I love buffalo chicken sandwiches, I love buffalo chicken dip, and now I have found a new love…buffalo chicken bites made with quinoa.  I stumbled across a blog while looking up new recipes called ‘So Very Blessed’ and found some great recipes using quinoa all in bite sized pieces.  As I am writing this it is bringing up great memories of grabbing dinner with my friend Susan in college at First Run…they had great buffalo chicken sandwiches!  Anyways, quinoa is a great grain (along with oats – what what) and has been coming back in vogue the past few years because of its nutritional benefits. 

Tomato, Chard and Gruyère Casserole

I plucked this recipe out of Food & Wine magazine a while ago so excited to make it and I am not sure why I have waited so long because it is REALLY good!  It is a rustic dish that is perfect for Fall and Winter (and definitely paired well with the rainy/gloomy day we are having here in Chicago with Smash on in the background).  It is a very hearty dish but could be used for either a main dish or a side.  The one criticism I have is that the prep time does take a while (lots of chopping!) but it is worth it and I am sure there are ways to cut it back (like cooking the swiss chard the day before and slicing the tomatoes). A perfect option for a vegetarian plate at a dinner party.  I would definitely recommend cutting it in half or 2/3rds because it makes A LOT of food and most people don’t have a dish that can handle this size casserole.