Caprese Salad

This is a family favorite! My mom has been making it for years and we all love it! It is light, fresh, and the flavor just bursts in your mouth! Crazy Good!

INGREDIENTS:

1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly

5 to 6 small vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced thinly

1/2 small cucumber, slices and halved

1 avocado, sliced thinly

1 bunch fresh basil

3 Tbsp virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle Feta cheese over the top, optional

HOW TO:

Slice the first 5 ingredients above and spread over the serving dish. Then mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Shake well and right before you are ready to serve, pour it over the top of the salad. Sprinkle a little feta on top if desired and ENJOY!

Spinach & Chive Linguine in an Alfredo Sauce

I know the picture doesn't look great...but this is a fast, easy, rich and delicious meal! You will love it, as will everyone in your whole family! I made this meal especially for my 4 year old for a special dinner. He chose it! We called it "Green Goblin Noodles". The Alfredo Sauce is better than any Alfredo I have ever tried in any restaurant and it takes about 3 minutes to make! And the Pasta from Trader Joe's is insanely delicious! I could eat it plain! It has the BEST flavor! So yummy! My new favorite! (And I don't love chives, but it doesn't taste like chives, it just tastes amazing!)

INGREDIENTS:

~Spinach & Chive Linguine from Trader Joe's

~Salt (salt water to flavor the pasta)

~Homemade Alfredo Sauce

~Fresh Parmesan to grate over the top

INGREDIENTS FOR ALFREDO SAUCE:

2 cups cream

1/4 cup butter

1/2- 1 cup parmesan cheese (I don't use fresh, just the kraft brand, it works better with the sauce)

3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper, or more

Salt to taste

dash of nutmeg or garlic powder

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

Melt butter in a pan, add the cream; let simmer. Then add the parmesan cheese, pepper and garlic or nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Note: I love this recipe, it is SO easy and really delicious! I use it all the time over anything- tortellini, fettucini, as a pizza sauce! You will never even think about buying Alfredo sauce in a jar ever again! However, when you use it as a sauce for pasta- DO NOT make it ahead of time, pretty much make it when everything else for dinner is done- it takes only like 3 minutes to make and it sets up really fast- too fast! So serve immediately!!!!