Recipe #36: Flavored Pretzels

This spring we had student worker appreciation week. Each day someone brought in treats. Most of the treats were sweet. So, I asked the students what they'd like me to make and they agreed on Flavored Pretzels. I reached out to another student that I heard made great spicy pretzels and she shared this recipe:

I initially wasn't sure they were good, but the next day they were even better and the student workers loved them!

Recipe #31: Mexican Pasta Salad

I enjoy making pasta salads for events, but am extra nervous about using mayonnaise. I never want to be responsible for anyone getting food poisoning. I was excited to to find this recipe, Mexican Pasta Salad that doesn't include mayo.

INGREDIENTS

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 glove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil
1 tablespoon white wine (or white balsamic) vinegar
1 tablespoon Wildtree Chipotle Lime Rub
2 cups uncooked pasta, prepared according to package directions
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cup diced cherry tomatoes
2 avocados, diced

I improvised, as always. I used dried cilantro. I also, used kidney beans instead of black beans.

I ended up liking this recipe, but I would say that it's best made and eaten in the same day, as the avocados discolor.

My finished product

Recipe #28: Lemon Lime Snowdrop Cookies

I wanted to make something sweet for a pre-concert tailgate. It was for the Zac Brown Band concert with Train and Phillip Phillips, which were terrific. So, I made Lemon Lime Snowdrop Cookies. Thankfully, they were fairly easy to make. My friends loved them! Check out the recipe, here.

Recipe #27: Pesto Pasta Salad

I made this yummy pasta salad for a BBQ a few weeks ago. Pesto always reminds me of my trip to Italy.
I like that it wasn't your run-of-the-mill pasta salad. The pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes made it even better. My only improvise was in using rotini noodles.
Click here for the recipe.

Recipe #26: Wildtree Spicy Cocktail Meatballs

I wanted to try a new recipe so I went to the Wildtree site to see what I could find. From there, I found a recipe for spicy cocktail meatballs.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Wildtree Rancher Steak Rub
2/3 cup Wildtree's Organic Ketchup
1/2 cup Wildtree Happenin' Hot Pepper Jelly

I always improvise with ingredients I already have and this time was no different. I didn't have parsley, so I used 1 tablespoon of basil. I used regular ketchup. I didn't have Wildtree Happenin' Hot Pepper Jelly, so I used a half cup jar of jalapeno jelly that my mom made. It turned out terrifically and I know I'll make this recipe again.

No Bake Lemon Lime Cheesecake from Wildtree

I needed a refreshing, easy dessert and I love cheesecake so I was drawn to this recipe. My cousin found this recipe for me from Wildtree; No Bake Lemon Lime Cheesecake.

I always improvise a little on my recipes. I didn't have enough whole graham crackers, but I did already have a box of graham cracker crumbles. I also didn't have sweetened condensed milk or a lime. For the sweetened condensed milk, I used a quarter cup of almond milk and sugar to taste. I thought it all needed more citrus flavor and didn't have a lime, so I added about 1.5 tablespoons of lime juice. In addition, I used marscapone that I already had instead of cream cheese. I used a cupcake tin to help them keep their shape. After you make them, you put them in the freezer for three hours. I'm storing them in the freezer, which makes it convenient for a quick treat. Enjoy!!!

Recipe #25: Sausage & Mushroom Stuffed Shells

I've been prepping some freezer meals in preparation for a busy fall. I used http://shop.wildtree.com/ to find recipes using spices I already had purchased. I chose to make
Sausage & Mushroom Stuffed Shells. Thankfully, it was a pretty easy recipe.

I doubled everything except mushrooms, since I only bought 8 ounces. I also didn't have Wildtree Red Bell Pepper Sauce, but substituted it with tomato paste and that worked perfectly. I think, sauteed spinach could've been added into mix easily and would be a great way to get in more veggies.

After making it, I put several shells in freezer bags and into the freezer for future use. This meal was so good! The photo does not do it justice.

Wildtree

My cousin had been talking about having a freezer party. It sounded like a good idea; prep food for busy times. The more I learned, about the company that she did the party through, the more I liked it. Wildtree wasn't just about prepping food, it was about healthy food. We all need help making healthy choices. We picked what bundle of spices we wanted to buy to make 10 recipes at the party with. We prepped meat and veggies for the party. At the party, we got our spices and measured everything out into the freezer bags. I'm in grad school and working full time. Fall is an especially busy time for me in both areas. I knew that I needed all the help I could get to make healthy choices. So, I was very excited for the freezer party.

Since then, I've been eating some tasty, healthy meals that are so easy to prepare. My favorite is the Mexican Chili, so good! Many of the products are also organic and gluten-free. I'm definitely making efforts to move to more organic eating.

Since, I have rheumatoid arthritis and often deal with swollen feet, I pay a lot of attention to sodium content. Thankfully, Wildtree's products have low sodium content and no weird preservatives.

Now, my cousin that introduced me to Wildtree is selling it, check it out: www.mywildtree.com/tessieriffel