Ingredient List

Thin Spaghetti

2 or 3 garlic cloves (mince these babies)

Green Bell Pepper (Dice)

Tomatoes (whatever your preference: a handful of cherry, beefsteak, or plum tomatoes AND dice them)

Pasta sauce (just a cup of your favorite pasta sauce)

Seasoning: Salt, Pepper, Oregano 

Cream cheese

Mozzarella cheese

    Directions

1. Cook pasta.  Follow the package instructions.  

2. In a saucepan, drizzle olive oil and add your minced garlic, diced pepper, and diced tomatoes to the pan.  Sauté until fragrant.  

3. Add some tomato sauce.  Sprinkle oregano, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for five minutes.  Add some pasta water (1/4 cup) and a big spoonful of cream cheese and stir.  The sauce should have a pinkish hue.  

4. By now your pasta should be cooked.  You can either drain the pasta or grab your tongs and transfer the pasta directly from the pot to the saucepan.  Evenly coat the pasta with the sauce.

5. Top off your spaghetti with some mozzarella and serve.  

   Bon Appetit!

Some herbs like lavender and rosemary have the most exotic aroma that even the bumble bees gravitate towards.  Although lavender can be a lovely addition to your garden, rosemary is a hardier herb than lavender and can survive a cold winter.  There are some herbs like spearmint and lemon balm that can spread out and leave no room for other plants to grow, so it’s best to plant these herbs in pots.  Basil is another herb that can outgrow its container, so select a big flower pot in order for your basil to flourish. 

Once your garden is in bloom, try to incorporate your herbs into your daily life by mixing your garden herbs in homemade soaps, body oils, vinaigrettes, and so much more.  With trial and error and a little bit of luck, here are some of my recipes that will inspire you to be creative when harvesting herbs. 

Spearmint Ice Cubes

On a hot summer day, there is nothing quite refreshing than adding mint to a cold beverage.

Place spearmint leaves into each ice cube slot before adding water and pop them in the freezer.  Add ice cubes to a cocktail or just a plain glass of water to quench your thirst.  The minty ice cubes also look pretty when serving your drink in clear glass cups.  

Dream/Herbal Sachets

Bring the scent of lavender or rosemary from the garden to your home by making sachets.  You can place them inside your pillowcase to help you sleep.  You can also use the sachets to refreshen clothes inside your dresser drawer or closet.  

Supplies

-A few sprigs of dry lavender or rosemary  

-Fabric 

-Fabric Scissors, Thread, and Needle

Start by cutting your fabric into a square that will be big enough to fill your herbs in.  Once you have your square, sew all three corners, leaving one corner open.  Place your dry herbs inside the sachet and sew the last corner.

You can also purchase burlap or muslin cloth sachets and just add your herbs inside.   Amazon sells sachets that are both inexpensive and come in a bundle.  Great for gifts and you can personalize your sachet by sewing designs onto the fabric. 

Rosemary Body Oil    

During the summer I like to use body oils instead of body lotion.  This custom blend of rosemary oil is super nourishing on the skin and has healed my eczema.   To make your own body oil you will need the following:

               –Olive oil (not the cooking kind. Specifically used for skin and hair.

                -Vitamin E oil (optional)

               –A few sprigs of rosemary  

               –A glass bottle with a dropper

To sterilize your bottle and dropper, simply boil a pot of water.  Once your water is boiled, shut off the stove and place your bottle and dropper inside the pot.  After 5 minutes, remove the bottle using tongs.    

Pick the rosemary leaves from the twig and add them inside the bottle.  The more rosemary, the more fragrant your body oil will be.  Next, add your olive oil.  You may also add vitamin E oil for extra moisture, just simply add equal parts of olive oil and vitamin E to the bottle.  

*Note: After you shower, while your skin is still wet is the ideal way to massage the oil onto your skin.  Store your body oil away from direct sunlight.  Also, if you have sensitive skin or if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor before making your custom oil blend.

So whether you are inspired to make your own herbal sachets to freshen your sock drawer or want to add flavor to your drink using mint, the herbs in your garden can provide just what you need.  

*Coming Soon—

The Crafty Gardener Part 2 for more recipes!  

  When cooking pasta, I try to cook the right amount I need for a recipe.  There are times, however, when I make too much pasta and don’t know what to do with the extra noodles.  So to be creative and with trial and error, I have come up with a few recipes that are perfect when you have leftover pasta.   Enjoy!

Artichoke & Cucumber Pasta Salad 

     What you need:

Left over pasta

Veggies

A jar of artichokes  

Cheese (whatever cheese you like)

Olive oil

Note: I like to buy jar artichokes that are marinated, that way you can use some of the liquid to be a vinaigrette to your salad.  If you don’t have any veggies, you can make a simple pasta salad with olives, artichokes, and cheese.   

Start by…

Dice veggies and mix them along with your leftover pasta in a large bowl.  Add artichoke and cheese to the mix.  Drizzle some olive oil and a splash of the marinade from the jar of artichokes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Shrimp Penne

For this recipe you will need:

-Frozen or fresh shrimp

-Minced garlic (fresh or jarred)

-Red pepper flakes 

-Any veggie you have

-Can of diced tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

-Olive oil 

-Cheese (preferably mozzarella or Parmesan)  

Directions

First, drizzle your pan with olive oil and add garlic.  When your garlic is golden, add your shrimp and veggies.  Coat your shrimp with the olive oil and garlic and cook the shrimp for about 5 minutes.  Add your tomatoes and let it simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes before adding your leftover pasta.  Top your shrimp penne with some cheese and dig in! 

Chili Pasta

The simplest recipe of all!

  Ingredients:

Can of chili 

Leftover pasta

Shredded cheese

Next Step…

In a pot big enough to heat both chili and pasta, pour chili contents and cook.  Follow the packaging instructions on how long to heat the chili. Once your chili is cooked, add your leftover pasta.  Stir and let it simmer until the pasta is warm enough to eat.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese and serve.     

Love pasta as much as I do? What are some of your favorite go-to pasta dishes?  Share and comment below.

And with this new motivation to meal prep and to be more conscientious when I shop, I have to talk about what inspired my New Year’s Resolution in the first place.   

The Salad Dressing That Ruined My Salad

There is nothing worse than serving yourself a bowl of leafy goodness and topping it off with a salad dressing that is not so healthy.   Just because a salad dressing or other tasty dips, like salsa and hummus, might have the gluten-free seal on the packaging, doesn’t necessarily mean the brand is free from preservatives.   If the ingredients are questionable and hard to pronounce then you’re better off making your own vinaigrette or dip from scratch.  

Whip it Up in the Kitchen

Not only does homemade salad dressing taste better than store-bought, but you and your gut can rest assured knowing exactly the ingredients you used to make your vinaigrette.   I like using lemon and a splash of apple cider vinegar when making a salad dressing.    A rule of thumb is to combine a cup of extra virgin olive oil as your base.   I then add some lemon juice, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper for seasoning.  

Whatever you decide to add to your vinaigrette, remember to always start with a small amount of each ingredient.   Whisk everything together and taste.   You can always add more seasoning or oil.

So the next time you go grocery shopping, skip the condiments section.   You’re better off just making your salad dressings and dips from scratch.

What are some of your favorite homemade vinaigrettes and other condiments?   Let me know in the comment box below.

In New Jersey, the most popular vegetable to plant is tomatoes.  With enough sun and proper watering, any tomato can thrive.   And nothing is more gratifying than to add your produce to your dinner plate.

But when summer has reached its peak, so too is your love for your prized vegetables.   Honestly, how many tomatoes can you possibly eat without growing disdain for the fruit? … Vegetable?

A simple tip is to be creative in the kitchen when incorporating your herbs and veggies from your garden.   This summer, I have way too many cherry tomatoes from my garden, but I am determined to enjoy my prized harvest.   Instead of making just an ordinary salad, I opted for a colorful, festive corn salad and added my tomatoes to the mix.

Another simple dish is making a mini anti-pasta by adding tomatoes, olives, capers, fresh mozzarella, and salami.   Season the mixture with salt and pepper and top it with olive oil.   You can even add fresh basil for extra flavor.

If you’re making a grilled cheese sandwich, slice some of your homegrown plum or “big boy” tomatoes and add them to your sandwich.  And for a dinner dish, cut up a handful of tomatoes and sautée them with some minced garlic and olive oil.   Once your tomatoes have reached a sauce-like consistency, add your favorite pasta.     

Another tip is canning your veggies.  Canning is an old-school, but popular method to store and enjoy your produce for the next couple of months.   This year I was able to grow a few zucchinis that I used to make some healthy meals.   Next year, if I have a successful harvest, I will try to resist the urge to eat all of my produce and preserve some.

So whether it be preserving your produce or cooking creative and adventurous meals, there are so many ways to incorporate your garden edibles into the dinner table.   After all, you took time in planting and caring for your vegetable plants.   Why not enjoy eating them too.

Whether you need a vinaigrette or want to sauté some veggies on the pan, Extra virgin olive oil is a must.   I prefer to purchase my olive oil in a dark, glass bottle.   Olive oil is meant to be stored in a dark cool place so it makes sense that the package bottle it comes in should also be dark.    

Another key staple in my pantry is Bob’s Red Mill Pancake & Waffle Mix.   You can find a wide range of Bob’s Red Mill products, such as gluten-free flour to organic chia seeds at your local grocery store.   If you run out of eggs one morning or craving something other than cereal, you can’t go wrong with pancakes.   Just make sure you have a bottle of syrup in your fridge. 

For seasoning, Pink Himalayan Salt is a healthier choice compared to other salts that are overly processed.   There are more minerals that can be found in pink Himalayan salt, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium.   And personally, I find Himalayan salt to be quite tastier than other salts. 

Finally, a kitchen is not complete without Fresh Herbs at your fingertips.   Not only growing herbs is aesthetically pretty, but your meals will have a vibrant aroma and taste that you simply can not achieve with dry herbs.   If you have a windowsill that daylight seeps through then invest in a few herb plants.   If you prefer to grow your herbs outside, you can plant them in pots or in the ground.   Some herbs can also be used as a deterrent for creepy critters that you want to banish from your yard.  

So whether it be stocking up on pancake mix and olive oil or investing in a few herb plants, these are just a few pantry items that I always make sure I never run out of.    

What are some of your favorite kitchen essentials?   Let me know in the comment box below.