May Long Weekend Recipes as seen on CHCH Morning Live

Whether you’re heading to the cottage, camping, or kickin’ it in your own backyard, the first long weekend of summer calls for a fun, delicious & doable menu! Cheers to long weekend eating!!

Loaded Caesar Pasta Salad With Roasted Chickpea Croutons

This loaded salad is perfect for your long weekend gathering. Because who doesn’t LOVE Caesar salad?

What makes this salad loaded? Tasty add-ins such as: roasted chickpeas (my new-ish obsession) + pasta (I like the pasta more as a sidekick than the star (in this specific dish)) + additional veggies = simple ways to bulk up this crowd pleasing dish.

Side note: If you’re a fan of veggie-loaded pasta dishes like I am, you’ve got to try my Sheet Pan Pasta Shawarma. It’s a weeknight supper game-changer!! Click here for recipe.

Roasted Garlic Chickpea Croutons

Roasted chickpeas are the ultimate salad topper (or snack – I’ve been known to eat them straight up by the handful!). Just be sure to pat them dry after draining and rinsing, this way you are guaranteed a super crispy chickpea.

• 1 (540 mL/19 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
• ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
• ½ tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (2 mL) onion powder
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F (200 C).
2. Toss dry chickpeas with oil and spices until well coated.
3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper – spread chickpeas out as much as possible.
4. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing only once (half way through roasting).
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely (on the baking sheet) while making salad.

Dressing

1. ⅓ cup (75 mL) prepared mayonnaise (or plain Greek style yogurt for a lower fat version)
2. ¼ cup (60 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
3. ¼ cup (60 mL) very finely diced anchovies (optional) *you can add more or less depending on your taste.
4. 3 tbsp (45 mL) roughly chopped capers
5. 1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh garlic (or ½ tsp (2 mL) garlic powder)
6. 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
7. 2 tsp (10 mL) Worcestershire sauce
8. ½ tsp (2 mL) hot sauce
9. Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon

Directions

1. Stir together all ingredients until well combined. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use (up to one week). Stir well before serving. Makes about 1 cup (250 mL) dressing.

Salad

• 1 cup (250 mL) Italpasta Artisan Mezzi Rigatoni (click here for product info)
• 4 cups (1 L) chopped Romaine lettuce
• 1 ½ cups (375 mL) chopped cooked bacon, divided
• 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1 cup (250 mL) grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Additional Add-In’s (optional):

~ 1 cup (250 mL) Char’s Pickled Onions, patted slightly dry (click here for recipe)
~ 1 cup (250 mL) charred corn kernels
~ 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh tomatoes (or halved grape tomatoes) OR ½ cup (125 mL) sliced sundried tomatoes

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and run cold water over pasta to cool down. Toss pasta with a small amount of olive oil (about 1 tsp (5 mL)). Shake off any excess water. Set aside while prepping remaining salad ingredients.
2. Measure out 1/4 cup (60 mL) of roasted chickpeas and set aside.
3. Place remaining roasted chickpeas, lettuce, 1 cup (250 mL) bacon, ¾ cup (175 mL) parsley, ½ cup (125 mL) parmesan cheese and cooked pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add prepared dressing and add-ins of choice (if using) and toss until well combined.
4. Place on a serving platter. Garnish with remaining bacon, parsley and cheese.
5. Makes about 8 cups (2 L).

Delicious & Doable Tips:

~ Use prepared (store bought) Caesar salad dressing instead of making your own.
~ Use Ranch Dressing instead of Caesar.
~ Add chopped grilled chicken and/or thinly sliced grilled steak to salad for added protein

Char’s Jumbo Double Chocolate S’mores Cookies

No Victoria Day long weekend is complete without a little s’mores magic, right?

The best part about these cookies? No campfire, no problem! You get all that gooey, chocolatey, marshmallow goodness without the smoky clothes…hahaha! Even better, cookies can be made ahead of time and stashed in the freezer. When you’re weekend ready, just pack and go!

Warning: although these cookies are jumbo, it’s impossible to have just one!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) softened butter (I like salted butter)
• ¾ cup (175 mL) brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 1 cup (250 mL) dark chocolate chips (or semi-sweet)
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup (250 mL) roughly crushed graham cookies (note: I place cookies in a plastic resealable bag and roughly crush with my hands – so pieces vary in size)
• 2 cups (500 mL) mini marshmallows

Garnish

• 1 cup (250 mL) mini marshmallows
• ½ cup (125 mL) roughly crushed graham cookies
• ½ cup (125 mL) milk chocolate chips
• flaky sea salt or coarse salt (approx: 1 tsp (5 mL))

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F (190 C). In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
2. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until well combined.
3. Using a rubber spatula, fold in remaining ingredients until evenly combined.
4. Chill batter for about 1 hour. Note: Batter can be wrapped and chilled overnight.
5. While batter is chilling, mix together garnish ingredients until well combined.
6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease (in most cases parchment paper does not have to be greased, but in this case you ideally want to grease as the marshmallow might stick).
7. Roll batter into 12 even size balls. Place 6 balls evenly on a baking sheet (I suggest baking in two batches). Using the heel of your hand, press cookie balls down slightly.
8. Place on the centre rack of oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and divide garnish (approx 1 tbsp (15 mL)) evenly between cookies – pressing garnish ingredients lightly into tops of cookies (cookies will still be very soft/not fully baked) and sprinkle the tops of each cookie with flaky salt. Place back in oven for about 3 to 5 minutes until edges and tops are just starting to brown.
9. Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.
10. Makes 12 jumbo cookies.

Note: if you’re not into cookies the size of your head like I am (hahaha!) – you can divide the batter into 24 cookies instead of 12. I suggest baking 12 on a baking sheet at a time, and reducing baking to 6 minutes, then adding garnish and baking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.