Zucchini, Mint & Granola - Oh My!

I've tried out some new recipes lately and decided to share them with y'all. First up is Zucchini Fettuccine by Rachel Ray! I love zucchini and mint, so I'm always looking for recipes with those ingredients in it and I couldn't pass up this one since it combined the two. I was a little skeptical because this pasta didn't really have a sauce, but it totally surprised us. It was very flavorful, light and will be perfect for Spring/Summer meals. The only thing I added was a carton of sliced mushrooms and I sprinkled a little Parmesan on top for my cheese lovin' hubby! Speaking of mint, ours just popped up out in the garden. I'm so excited because I use it a lot in my cooking. One of our favs. is mint nut bread. YUM. Anyhow, Spring is in the air. We've had a lot of rain showers the past few days and that's been great because Ross just spent last Sunday planting squash, banana peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, dill and basil. I love fresh produce!!!

Next up, I made Giada's Homemade Cranberry Nut Granola the other day. Oh My Yum!!!! Does anyone watch her new show Giada At Home? I love it and I've tried many of her recipes. Our absolute new fav. is Chicken Avocado Napoleons. Such a flavorful and easy meal to throw together on a busy day. Back to the granola though. This was the first time I've ever tried making it and it was so crazy easy. The toasted nuts really make it extra yummalicious. The syrup mixture is very light and doesn't make the granola overly sweet, just gives it a slight taste. I patted my granola down pretty tightly so that when it dried, I could break it into little bars. We were out of dried cranberries, but raisins worked just as well. We will definitely be making this over and over again. It's such a great, healthy snack to have around and a little piece really does satisfy you. Plus it makes your house smell fabulous when it's baking!!!! If you've tried any new recipes lately, feel free to share them! Have a wonderful weekend.