Mike, Author at Life's A Tomato

Italian Pasta Salad

I’ve been on a pasta and potato salad kick lately. The beauty of salads is that I can make them in the morning when it is still cool out. Then, there’s no additional work at dinner time. Perfect! But that doesn’t mean I want something boring. This Italian pasta salad is nice and easy to make. And it’s definitely not boring!

This Italian pasta salad has all sorts of yummy fresh things in it. Even with the pasta it still feels light. It’s a great salad to make in the evening and let it ‘get happy’ in the fridge overnight. Pack it into a cooler and you have the perfect side salad.

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Blue Plate Real Mayonnaise, Homestyle Mayo For Chicken Salad to Deviled Eggs, 30 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)

Also try my roasted red pepper pasta salad.

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4 from 1 vote

Italian Pasta Salad

The beauty of salads is that I can make them in the morning when it is still cool out. Then, there’s no additional work at dinner time. Perfect!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Italian, pasta salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 259kcal

Author Paula Deen

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound farfalle bow-tie would also work well
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
8 ounces mushrooms sliced
⅔ cup Kalamata olives pitted and sliced
1 medium green bell pepper diced
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta per package instructions.
Drain well and let cool.
Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper to the pasta and fold to combine.
Whisk together the salad dressing, mayo, and sugar.
Add to the pasta mixture and fold to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. You may have to add a bit more dressing the next morning after the salad sits in the fridge.

Notes

You can use a sugar substitute in this salad.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Homemade Italian Vinaigrette

This homemade Italian vinaigrette (on the right in the photo) is my favorite salad dressing. It looks great and tastes great and it is so easy to make. I sometimes find that store-bought dressings can be a bit too vinegary. The beauty of making my own versions at home is that I can easily adjust the amount of vinegar. This has the right balance of vinegar and spices. I love it.

Homemade Catalina and Italian Salad Dressings

Better With Time

This homemade Italian vinaigrette gets better with time as the flavors ‘get happy’. I like to give the dried spices time to flavor the dressing. Make sure you give it a good, long shake before serving.

Shown on the left is my homemade Catalina dressing.

Kakamono 2-pack Porous Squeeze Bottles,Leak Proof Refillable Condiment Container for Kitchen Use,Salad Dressings,top dispensers for ketchup mustard mayo hot sauces olive oil(10 oz)

Check out my new site, Dress My Salad, for more great salad dressing ideas!

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Italian Vinaigrette

Course Salad Dressing

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade salad dressing, Italian, vinaigrette

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 1499kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Cajunlicious

Ingredients

1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
⅔ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons red bell pepper diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flake
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried minced onions
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients into a pint Mason jar and shake well.

Notes

Always stir again or shake before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Fire and Ice Salad

This fire and ice salad has some spicy kick for sure. And crunch. It’s very good with just the right amount of vinegar (too much can be… too much!). Mustard seed and celery seed add a nice pickling flavor.

Celery Seed Adds So Much

This fire and ice salad would be fantastic on fish tacos (you might want to cut the cukes down a bit) or a pulled pork BBQ sandwich. And you might not think it, but it’s fantastic on top of grilled hot dogs. They need that crunchy contrast. A lot.

Lucy’s Family Owned – Natural Distilled White Vinegar, 1 Gallon (128 oz) – 5% Acidity (White Vinegar, 1 Gallon (128 fl oz.))

I’ve become a big fan of celery seed. It really kicks up salads, such as slaws or this fresh garden salad. Celery seed also finds its way into may of my rubs and seasonings, including my favorite Fire-Eater rub.

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5 from 1 vote

Fire and Ice Salad

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword pickled, salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 44kcal

Author Based on a recipe found at All Recipes

Equipment

Ingredients

1 large tomato seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper sliced into thin rings
1 red onion sliced into thin rings
¾ cup white vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
1 ½ teaspoons mustard seed
4 ½ teaspoons sugar
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup water
1 cucumber sliced very thin (but not until you’re ready to serve!)

Instructions

Combine the tomato, bell pepper and onion in large bowl.
In a small saucepan over high heat add the remaining ingredients except for the cucumber.
Stir and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
Remove dressing from heat and pour over the tomato mixture.
Refrigerate for at least one hour or until cold.
Serve tossed with sliced cucumber.

Notes

Stir before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Pimento Olive Dip

My wife loves olives, so when I ran across this pimento olive dip recipe I had to make it. Besides the great salty brininess of the olives, this dip has all sorts of great cheeses mixed in. An easy seasoning mix brings it all together. This dip is creamy, and a little on the thicker side.

This pimento olive dip is fairly olivey (olive-ish?). It was great with something salty to dip into it, like pretzels or crackers. As creamy as this is, it’s still thick. So use something thick for dipping.

I highly recommend that you shred or grate your own cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-shredded or pre-grated stuff. It has stuff added to it to keep it from sticking together. That ‘stuff’ affects how the cheese melts. Shred it yourself and use the good stuff.

Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater, Kitchen Mandoline Vegetable Slicer with 3 Interchangeable Blades, Easy to Clean Rotary Grater Slicer for Fruit, Vegetables, Nuts

Also try my creamy bacon cheese dip.

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4 from 1 vote

Pimento Olive Dip

If you love olives, this dip is for you!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword dip, olives, pimento, pimiento

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 199kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives diced
1 teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate.
Let set at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Refrigerate any leftovers but let come to room temperature again before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Pepperoni Pull-Apart Bread

Oh my goodness this pepperoni pull-apart bread is yummy. Perfect as a side for a spaghetti dinner. Or any dish for that matter. It’s like garlic bread but on a whole new level. Nothing but delicious and crazy easy to make. The insides are nice and pillowy soft. The outside gets a bit of a crust to it. A nice crunch. Of course there’s cheese. Not a ton but you’ll notice it. And glorious pepperoni. Not enough to call this a pizza, but the flavor is there and that’s what we’re after.

Great Hot Out Of The Oven

This bread is dangerously good. You’ve been warned! You won’t be able to stop eating it. It’s totally irresistible hot-out-of-the-oven.

Amazon Fresh – Artisan Bake at Home French Style Demi Baguette, 12 oz (2 ct)

If you like pull-apart bread, but want a little more kick than pepperoni, try our roasted jalapeno pull-apart bread. Or try our ham-and-cheese sandwich pull-apart. It’s a great way to make big sandwich in no time at all. For breakfast, make a pan of bacon biscuit pull-aparts.

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5 from 1 vote

Pepperoni Pull-Apart Bread

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword bread, pepperoni

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 37kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Six in the Suburbs

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread
pepperoni slices
2 tablespoons butter melted
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
¼ cup Mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

Using a sharp knife, cut vertical incisions into the bread every 3/4".
Cut almost through the dough, but not all the way.
Stuff pepperoni slices, to taste, into the slits.
Combine the butter and Italian seasoning and brush over the top of the dough and into the slits.
Sprinkle cheese over top of dough and into the slits.
Heat in 350 F oven until the cheese has melted.

Notes

Also great with pepper jack or Swiss cheeses.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Cowboy Caviar

This marinated black-eyed pea salad (aka Cowboy Caviar) is absolutely fantastic. It is great as a side for grilled burgers or dogs… anything! The celery adds a really nice crunch. Take this along on your next pitch-in and everyone will love it. Like me, they will think that it’s the best kicked up pea salad ever.

A Great Fresh Bite

This recipe for Cowboy Caviar came from the July 2013 issue of Chile Pepper magazine (no longer in publication). The recipe was originally from Liberty’s Kitchen in New Orleans, which is committed to helping teach under-served youth in a culinary setting. So not only do they have a great mission, they also have a great black-eyed pea salad!

Amazon Fresh, Golden Honey, 12 Oz (Previously Happy Belly, Packaging May Vary)

Also try my Buffalo Cowboy caviar and my Georgia caviar recipes.

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4 from 1 vote

Cowboy Caviar

This marinated black-eyed pea salad (aka Cowboy Caviar) is absolutely fantastic. It is great as a side for grilled burgers or dogs… anything!

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword bean salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 280kcal

Author Based on a recipe from

Equipment

Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

For the cilantro lime vinaigrette

4 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 jalapenos seeded, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
½ cup fresh cilantro loosely packed, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the salad

3 15 ounce black eyed peas rinsed and drained
1 large sweet onion diced
1 red bell pepper diced
4 stalks celery diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
Cilantro lime vinaigrette (from above)

Instructions

Prepare the vinaigrette by placing all ingredients into a bowl and whisking well. You can also puree them in a blender.
Make the salad by combining all ingredients and tossing to coat.

Notes

Give the salad another stir before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Cheesy Garlic Bread

This is the easiest way to make a big ole loaf of yummy, cheesy garlic bread. Every slice is loaded with butter and cheese goodness. You can make these loaves ahead of time and bake them later. You can cut them thick, or you can cut them thin. If you end up cutting them real thin you might have to double or triple the ingredients for the ‘toppings’. Heck, you might want to double or triple them anyways because they’re great. And more cheese is more better!

Kick It Up

You can kick up this cheesy garlic bread by substituting pepper jack cheese and adding a few pickled jalapeno slices. I sometimes make this using a baguette for smaller, almost crouton-sized slices of cheese bread.

Amazon Fresh – Artisan Bake at Home French Style Demi Baguette, 12 oz (2 ct)

Also try my gotta-have-it garlic bread and some gorgonzola garlic bread.

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5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Garlic Bread

This is the easiest way to make a big ole loaf of yummy, cheesy garlic bread. Every slice is loaded with butter and cheese goodness. You can make these loaves ahead of time and bake them later.

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesy, garlic bread

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 385kcal

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread
4 ounces Mozzarella cheese sliced thin
4 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon garlic powder or more, to taste
½ teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Make vertical cuts in the bread every inch or so, cutting to within 1/2″ of the bottom of the loaf but not all the way through.
Transfer bread to a large piece of aluminum foil.
Insert cheese slices into the cuts in the bread.
Melt the butter. Stir in the garlic powder and parsley. Brush over the bread and into the slits.
Wrap up the bread in the foil and transfer to the oven.
Bake 15 minutes.
Open foil and bake another 5 minutes until crispy.
Serve sliced or whole and let your guests pull it apart.

Notes

Pepper jack is great too!

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)

Grilled Green Beans

These grilled green beans are the easiest side to make on the grill. I try to make everything I can outside on the grill, specially when it is hot out. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to sacrifice flavor for ease. This dish brings the flavors and takes only minutes to make. Charcoal grill or gas grill, it doesn’t matter.

No More Boring Green Beans

Add some diced white onion to these grilled green beans for extra flavor. You may want to sauté or grill the onion a little bit first to soften it. It takes longer to grill than the beans do.

I like to serve beans in a small glass jar. It just looks a little spiffier. I got the idea when we stopped by Firehouse BBQ and Blues, a great BBQ joint in downtown Richmond, Indiana. Why is it that things taste better out of jars? Iced tea is that way. I swear it just tastes better out of a big ole mason jar.

I recommend that you use a grill basket when making this dish. It makes cooking easier and you don’t have to worry about anything falling through the grates. And cleanup is easier too!

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

Also try my easy spicy grilled potatoes.

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5 from 1 vote

Grilled Green Beans

Yummy grilled beans. Add some diced white onion for extra flavor. I like to serve beans in a small glass jar. It just looks a little spiffier.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword green beans, grilled

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 45kcal

Ingredients

1 pound green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup white onion diced (optional)
Pinch dried red pepper flake to taste
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat grill for indirect cooking.
Tear off a large piece of aluminum foil.
Combine beans, oil, garlic, red pepper and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Place in center of foil.
Add 2 tablespoons of water and seal the packet tight.
Place over indirect heat and cook until the beans are just tender, 10-15 minutes.

Notes

You may want to add more salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber 6493 21-Inch 3-Sided Grill Brush

Spicy Roasted Baby Potatoes

Baby potatoes have such tremendous potato flavor. And they cook very quickly, making them great to make on the grill, like these spicy roasted baby potatoes. These little bites-of-nothing-but-goodness pack some mighty nice kick. Just like I like it. And don’t fear the spicy, either. We’re not talking ‘oh my! my mouth is on fire’ spicy. There’s just enough to wake up your taste buds.

You can substitute fingerling potatoes too, just make sure they are all about the same size or they won’t cook evenly. You want tender, tasty baby potatoes. You don’t want to bite into a hard potato. Ever. The more they are the same size, the better they’ll be!

Add A Little Smokiness

For a little smokiness in your spicy roasted baby potatoes, substitute chipotle powder for the chili powder. You’ll still get a nice kick. And you’ll get just the right hint of smoke. If you’re cooking these on a gas grill, people will think you used charcoal or wood!

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

Also try my grilled potato wedges.

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5 from 1 vote

Spicy Roasted Baby Potatoes

Course Side

Cuisine American

Keyword potatoes, roasted, spicy

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 181kcal

Author Mike

Equipment

Disposable Pan

Ingredients

2 pounds baby potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme crumbled
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Instructions

Set up your grill for indirect cooking.
Combine all ingredients in a large aluminum pan.
Cook over indirect heat until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes.

Notes

Left over potatoes can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven or on a grill.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Weber Deluxe Grilling Basket

Balsamic Glazed Pork Medallions

I found this recipe for balsamic glazed pork medallions on a blog I follow, A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis. I highly recommend you pay his blog a visit, and follow it. Chef Dennis’ original recipe was to use this great glaze on pork chops. We’re not big pork chop eaters, so instead I tried this on pork medallions. The end result was fantastic.

A Wonderful Rich Flavor

Chef Dennis introduced me to Tamari sauce with this recipe for balsamic glazed pork medallions, and I’m glad he did. Tamari is fantastic. I now use it instead of soy sauce in any recipe I make that requires cooking. Tamari is a deeper brown and thicker than soy sauce. It has a richer, deeper flavor. If you are cooking, use Tamari. Keep soy sauce around on the table for drizzling over rice or Asian dishes.

Pompeian Gourmet Balsamic Vinegar, Perfect for Salad Dressings, Sauces, Seafood & Meat Dishes, Naturally Gluten Free, 16 FL. OZ.

Also try my delicious bacon wrapped pork medallions.

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5 from 1 vote

Balsamic Glazed Pork Medallions

The glaze on the pork is just amazing.

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled, pork chops

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 20

Total Time 4 20

Servings

Calories 708kcal

Author Based on a recipe from Chef Dennis

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Tamari sauce
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
1 pork tenderloin cut into 1 1/2″ thick medallions

Instructions

Combine all but the pork.
Place pork into a resealable baggie or container and add all but 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Let marinate for 2-4 hours.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. I prefer cast iron for this. Add in the pork (first shaking off any excess marinade) and sear on both sides.
Reduce heat and cook until pork reaches 145 F. If you let them cook above 155 F they will tend to get tough.
Remove pork and let rest.
Meanwhile, add reserved marinade to the skillet and stir, cooking for 1 minutes. Drizzle over pork and serve.

Notes

The marinade is also great for chicken.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are approximate.

Fullstar Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Cheese Grater Vegetable Spiralizer and Veggie Slicer for Cooking & Meal Prep, Kitchen Gadgets Organizer & Safety Glove Included (11 in 1, White)