Danielle's Tomato Dumplings

Mine didn't look nearly as good as the ones in Erin's picture... Sadly, mine look barely edible!

This recipe has great promise. The vegetable stew part tasted great. However, I royally screwed up the dumplings.

I thought about using buttermilk instead of milk because 1) I love it, and 2) I have some in the fridge I'm trying to use before it goes bad. I did a little internet research to see if the substitution would work, and I saw on at least a couple of websites that you can easily substitute buttermilk for milk in biscuit recipes. I figured the dumpling dough was probably pretty close to biscuit dough, so I gave it a shot.

Well, that fell flat. My dumplings were gummy. They weren't bready in the middle at all. The flavor was ok, but I had a really hard time getting past the texture.

If I get around to trying this again sometime (this time following the recipe like I'm supposed to!), I'll post an update about how it turns out.

Cami's Orzo

This was really good. I like shrimp a lot more than I used to and orzo is my all time favorite pasta. I have so many orzo recipes and this will be added to the collection.

Mine didn't turn out dry but since I knew it had a tendency to be dry I poured the juices out of the tomato pan into the big pot. I also added 6oz of goat cheese. I really like Feta but I love goat cheese. I substitute it for feta any time I find them similarly priced. If you haven't tried it, you should. It is a really nice soft cheese.

The spinach held up well the next day. It made a lot so we had leftovers for a few days. I didn't think the dill was as flavorful as it could have been. I haven't cooked with dill before and maybe it was my inexperience.

Cami's Veggie Burritos

I love how easy these are to make. I whipped them up last night in no time. They are quite tasty as well. As you can see Calder thought they were awesome. His favorite foods are cheese, avocado, black beans and tortillas so these are right up his alley.

The flavor is perfect. I love the onion and black bean insides. I also love the warm burrito with cool tomatoes and guacamole on top. I used orange bell pepper instead of red because I prefer the flavor. I somehow made large burritos and only ended up with 6. All well. I'll certainly make these again.

Melanie W.'s Chicken with Tomato, Feta, and Olive Relish

This was so full of color and flavor. I loved it, but then I also love feta cheese and kalamata olives. I did as Cami suggested and bought some from the olive bar. It was my first experience buying something from the olive bar, so I felt like a real cook and so grown up. :) I also did as Danielle did and added cucumber. It was perfect, and really made it like a greek salad. It went really well with the chicken. I could have gone a bit easier with the mint. It was my first time using fresh mint and so I didn't know how mild or strong it would be. My mother-in-law asked to have a copy of the recipe, so it was a hit!

Danielle's Chicken & Tomato Relish

This was a super easy, super tasty dinner. I don't make a lot of the same things twice these days, but I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up on our table again sometime.

As usual, I made some alterations. I was a little short on tomatoes, so I decided to add in cucumbers. I think the cucumbers went really nicely with the relish. The flavors meshed well and it added some crunchy texture. I think I'll make it the same way in the future. I also couldn't bear to shell out (or should I say, have Max's mom shell out) $8 for a jar of kalamata olives when it's not an ingredient I use regularly (or ever). So I got a $2 can of burgundy olives instead. I don't know how they taste different than kalamata olives, but I liked the flavor.

I loved the mint! The mint with the other flavors was fantastic. So fresh tasting. I'm always happy to have any excuse to use fresh mint.

This dinner gets two thumbs up.

Cami's Chicken with Tomato, Feta and Olive Relish

This is one of my go-to meals. It's quick, light and very flavorful. I love the combination of warm chicken with the cool relish. I thought of a few things while making it tonight.

1. I've used all different sizes of tomatoes. As long as they are small you can make them work.
2. You can use feta or goat cheese with great results.
3. Jason and I aren't crazy about kalamata olives, so I decrease the number I put in and chop them really small. They add a great flavor but I don't want to eat just olive. I normally buy them at the olive bar at the grocery store so I don't have to buy a whole jar.
4. You can vary the ratio based on your family's preferences. If you aren't big on feta but love tomatoes, just increase the tomatoes and decrease the feta. It's pretty versatile.
5. It tastes better if you make the relish ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a little while (at least 20 minutes). That gives it time to mix the flavors.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Tomato, Olive, and Feta Relish

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 1/2 ounces)

4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 to 7 ounces each)

Mix cherry tomatoes, olives, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, mint, and vinegar in medium bowl. Gently stir in feta cheese. Season relish to taste with salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush chicken on both sides with remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken just until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates and slice, if desired. Top with relish and serve.


Cook's Notes: I often substitute goat cheese for the Feta. I prefer goat cheese in general so I try to switch it in whenever I can. I'm making it later this week so I don't have a picture to post yet.

Since I already answered this round of questions I won't bore you again. Have a great week and give this easy recipe a try!

Cami's Summer Chicken Wraps

This is all I have for a decent picture. And that's arguable at best.

I really enjoyed these. I will be making them again for sure. Probably within the next month. They are so easy and quick. I made the full recipe since, as you can see, the missionaries came over. They at them all. Good stuff. I served mine with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, black beans, cheese and plain yogurt. I used frozen chicken so I took it out the day before and marinated it in the chili powder, cumin and oil. I don't think it made a difference but I guess it's always an option.

Thanks for such a good recipe Whitney!