One thing I love about Fall, is comfort food and my roasted squash and beet salad is an all time fav. Even Scott, who doesn’t like goat cheese, gobbled this salad up. We served it with stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (I guess I’ll need to do that recipe next). Other than the time roasting the squash and beets, this salad can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
Be sure to use Vermont Creamery Clover Blossom Honey goat cheese – it will make a big difference. Scott and I don’t like our goat cheese to be too “goaty” or tangy rather. This cheese is very smooth, a tad sweet and really pairs well with the other salad ingredients.
This salad is full of flavor, slightly nutty and sweet. Compliment it with stuffed portabella mushrooms for a complete meal. Be sure to only use Vermont Creamery Honey goat cheese.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut beets in half. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes on a foil lined cookie sheet.
Dice & peel butternut squash into 1" pieces. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and add squash to the cookie sheet with beets. If you substitute butternut for another squash - check the cooking time.
Roast walnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes until toasted.
Once beets and squash are tender, remove from oven to cool. Slice beets when cool.
Mix greens, onion, squash, beets and goat cheese with dressing. Top with walnuts.
With our BVI bareboat charter trip coming up, Scott and I have been trying to lose some weight. He recently watched a documentary about the infamous Keto Diet and decided we should try it. Since I love to cook, this would be an interesting change.
I don’t really miss the carbs, but it’s trying to find the replacement for them that can be difficult. We had decided a few weeks ago, to stay on the boat the first weekend of March because the weather looked great. Unfortunately, when the weekend arrived, the weather was CRAZY!
What do we prepare on a stormy night that is Keto friendly?
Normally I would bake some kind of pasta, but we needed something that was keto friendly. That’s when I decided to try and make zucchini lasagna. How hard can it be? Not hard at all.
How did it turn out? GREAT! The only issue is that zucchini is full water, so you really have to do your best to dry it out. Ours came out a bit watery, but it tasted amazing. Conclusion? Make it again, but let it sit for about 15 minutes to let it set up.
116 oz jarmarinara sauceWe use Mezzetta Homemade Italian Plum Tomato
Instructions
Using a sharp knife, slice the ends off of the zucchini. Holding the zucchini upright, slice thin pieces and lay on a paper towel. Lightly sprinkle salt on each piece.
While the zucchini is drying out, heat a skillet on medium high heat and add sausage, pork, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. After 5 minutes, add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until browned. Remove from heat and drain any grease.
In a bowl, mix Parmesan, Mozzarella and Italian Seasoning. (in our video, I added them separately just to save a bowl)
Spray a 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray. Dab each zucchini slice with a paper towel to absorb any extra liquid. Begin layering the lasagna by placing zucchini slices on the bottom of the pan.
Add cooked meat, then sauce.
Layer with cheese.
Repeat layer. For the final top layer, arrange zucchini slices, top with sauce.
Top final layer with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Put a cookie under the pan, as it may over flow with liquid from the zucchini.
Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a side salad.
This chicken and orzo soup is amazing and perfect for a cold winter night. Now that winter has arrived, Scott and I plan on staying on the boat a few winter nights to see if we like it. There’s something romantic and cozy about bundling up on a cold night and making homemade soup.
Everyone loves homemade chicken soup, but it can also take a few hours to make (if you are making your own broth). The best part about this chicken orzo and kale soup, is that it’s not only tasty, but it takes just a few minutes to make. That makes for the perfect soup recipe on a boat, when you don’t have a lot of time or space.
One great thing about this chicken & orzo kale soup recipe, is that you can alter it however you wish. Don’t like kale? Use spinach. Don’t like orzo? Use cooked wild rice. The most important thing to remember, is to have your favorite blanket and a movie ready for after dinner. Enjoy!
In a Dutch oven or large stock pot heat oil and saute carrots for 2 minutes. Add celery and yellow onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add bay leaf, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken, orzo, crushed red pepper and curly kale. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes or until orzo is tender. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty warm bread.
Skillet Chicken Pasta Primavera with Spring Vegetables
My skillet chicken pasta primavera recipe includes my favorite Spring vegetables and you can swap out or add any of yours. During the warm weather months, I would rather spend my time outdoors than in my kitchen, so I love to whip up quick easy meals.
This pasta dish is hearty and very flavorful. It also makes great leftovers for the lunch the next day. One tip I have for making pasta dishes and adding vegetables, is to add “color”. In this recipe, we have green (asparagus & spinach), yellow (yellow squash & yellow bell pepper), orange (orange bell pepper), purple (red onion), brown (mushrooms) and red (sun dried tomatoes). You can get really creative with your dishes, looking for tasty veggies to add to your meal.
When making this on a boat, you can prep the veggies at home to save time and space. I also pre-cook or buy pre-cooked chicken breasts, to save time.
Let us know what you love to use in your primavera! Enjoy! Ally
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Chicken Pasta Primavera with Spring Vegetables Yum
This is a hearty pasta recipe that uses all of my favorite Spring vegetables. Use any of your favorites to create a meal your family will love! Enjoy!
Cook pasta according to the instructions - al dente'. Drain, but do not rinse. Reserve a 1/4 cup of pasta water.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium high heat and add aspragus, bell pepper, red onion, mushrooms, garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute' until slightly tender and season with salt and pepper.
Lower heat to medium and add sundried tomatoes, cooked chicken, yellow squash and spinach. Cook for about 1 minute. Add cream and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
To thicken your sauce, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water and reduce down. At our house, my husband likes his sauce really thickened and so I use corn starch. I simply mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 3 tbsp of water and stir in. Once you have reached the consistency you prefer, add the pasta and season again with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and crusty bread.
What’s for Breakfast? Try our Red Bell Pepper & Onion Frittata!
I love to make a frittata when we stay on the boat. They are so easy, especially when you use the Xpress Redi Set Go Cooker. Scott bought two of these portable ovens long before we bought Kokomo, with the intention of using them on the boat.
We use our Xpress Redi oven for things like pizza, baking chicken, grilled cheese sandwiches and toasting bagels.
For this frittata recipe, you can either saute’ the veggies first or simply add them to your egg mixture. Give yourself at least 10-15 minutes for it to cook completely in the center. Be careful when you serve it, as it will be piping hot! Enjoy!
Remove any dividers in the Redi Oven and pre-heat it. Whisk the eggs with the milk and add seasonings, veggies and cheese.
Spray the Redi Oven with non-stick spray and carefully pour in the egg mixture. Make sure to leave some room, as the egg will expand. Otherwise it will overflow. Close the lid and cook for about 12-15 minutes until cooked in the center.
Using a spatula, remove the frittata to a plate and cut into quarters. Serve with your favorite side dish or fresh fruit.
Recipe Notes
If you are not using the Redi Oven, you can use an omlet pan that is oven safe. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray the pan with non-stick spray and heat on medium high. Pour in the egg mixture and cook on the stove top for about 2 minutes.
Move the pan to the oven and continue cooking until the center is thoroughly cooked, about 12 minutes.
This antipasto chicken salad recipe is perfect has a meal and it’s very easy to make. I make this recipe all year round, not just during the summer. You can add more meat to it for a heartier dish and serve it with warm crunchy bread for the perfect meal.
When Scott and I first bought our boat Kokomo, I didn’t think we would prepare that many meals on board. But once we fell in love with being at our marina, enjoying the views of DT Seattle, I love to eat on board. The biggest challenge I have is working in a small space with not a lot of counter space. With that said, I buy ingredients that are already cooked or prepared when I make meals on our boat.
In this recipe, I will either pre-make the chicken at home or buy cooked chicken from the deli at Safeway. You could also use a rotisserie chicken too. Enjoy!
This hearty salad is perfect for a hungry dinner crowd. Buy cooked chicken from the grocery store deli, add crunchy bread and you have dinner prepared!
Whisk the vinaigrette dressing ingredients until blended together. When ready to serve, toss salad ingredients with dressing (use as little or as much to your taste). Serve immediately with a warm baguette.
For your next gathering, be sure to make these smoked salmon potato chip appetizers! They are so easy, elegant and perfect for entertaining on your boat or during your next cocktail party. In this recipe, I use lox style smoked salmon. it’s much more delicate and the presentation is gorgeous. One of my favorite smoked salmon brands lox style is Echo Falls Beechwood Smoked Atlantic Canape’ Slice Salmon. You can find it at your local grocery store.
There are many appetizers out there that are beautiful & tasty, but the prep time can really be an issue. What I love about this recipe, is you can whip it together in just a few minutes. You can even make ahead and refrigerate about 45 minutes before serving. Folks will gobble these up, so plan on making at least four chips per person.
Most galleys are on a boat are small and don’t offer a lot of prep space. That’s why I try to make items that don’t require mixing bowls or lots of counter space. If you have a favorite recipe that you make on your boat, please share with us. Enjoy! Scott & Ally
These smoked salmon potato chip appetizers are a crowd favorite. You can serve them at your next elegant dinner party or after a day of boating. You only need a few ingredients and within a few minutes your appetizer is ready to serve. Enjoy!
You can assemble the potato chips about 40 minutes before serving. Line a platter with the potato chips and place a dollop of sour cream on each. Gently place a bite size piece of smoked salmon on top, then a few rings of pickled shallot and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Variations: Add capers, caviar and or chives
Pickled Shallots
In a small sauce pan combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour liquid into a mason jar or a container with a tight seal, add bay leaf and sliced shallot. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Pickled shallots can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Pasta, chicken, kale, mushrooms and whatever else is in the fridge. The other day I found a recipe for chicken soup with mushrooms. It sounded delicious and I was planning on making it. However, Scott only eats soup on a cold blustery day (yes, this is true!) and it happened to be a nice sunny day.
I’m not one to waste ingredients, so I wondered, what else could I make? I’ve been trying to use up tons of my veggies in the fridge and so I decided to whip up a quick pasta! This is so easy and filling. You can easily make it on the boat for a crowd! Enjoy!
There is a lot more in this pasta than chicken, kale and mushrooms. In fact, you could add any of your favorite veggies too! This is a very rich and hearty dish, perfect for cold boating season.
Cook pasta according to the directions, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add onions and mushrooms. Saute' until tender, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic, bacon and kale. Season with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream and chicken and blend well. Cook for another 5 minutes until thickened. To make the sauce thicker, in a small bowl, whisk corn starch with 2 tbsp. of water and add to skillet. Add cooked pasta to the mixture and mix in parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Leek & Potato Frittata is great for any mea. We use our Xpress Redi Set Go Oven (which is now called Xpress Platinum Countertop Cooker ) on the boat for many different dishes. It works great for egg dishes like omelets and frittatas. This hearty frittata has Yukon gold potatoes in it and so it’s great for any meal including dinner.
This hearty frittata is great for breakfast or dinner (or lunch!). You will need to pre-cook the potatoes and leeks ahead of time, but it's worth the extra step.
Pre-Heat oven to 400º. Heat pan on stovetop on medium high and pour in egg mixture. Let cook about 3 minutes and transfer pan to oven. Cook for another 15 minutes until center is fully cooked.
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. Scott bought two of these portable ovens long before we bought 
) on the boat for many different dishes. It works great for egg dishes like omelets and frittatas. This hearty frittata has Yukon gold potatoes in it and so it’s great for any meal including dinner.