This (recipe here) was so yummy and so easy, using leftovers from my favorite chicken recipe. I served it over greens.
Category: Favorites
Roasted Pears with Cardamom Granola and Vanilla Ice Cream
This dessert (recipe here) is SO easy and simple, but so delicious. I’ve made these before, and they’ve always been a hit. There is a typo in the recipe and the butter isn’t included, but you can figure it out, if you read carefully. Use about 1/4 cup of the granola/butter mixture, loosely packed, per pear.
Thick and Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
These bars (recipe here) are satisfying and delicious. Perfect when it’s your turn to bring snacks for the team/cast/office/troop or whatever group your family participates in…
Chewy, buttery and packed with protein for a “keep you going until dinner” kind of snack. And these are ridiculously quick and easy, too.
Silver Dollar Buttermilk-Pecan Pancakes with Bourbon Molasses Butter and Maple Syrup
Recipe here. These were fantastic. I didn’t make the Bourbon Molasses Butter, but I might, the next time I make these. The toasted pecans in these were delicious.
New Potato Salad
This potato salad (recipe here) is one from Ina Garten. Every single one of her recipes that I’ve ever made has turned out beautifully and was delicious; that chick knows her stuff! I made this batch with Yukon Gold potatoes, because that’s what I had on hand today, but it really is better with new potatoes.
Cream Cheese Herb Spread
Recipe here. This stuff is flat-out delicious. It tastes exactly like Boursin or Alouette. Fantastic with crackers or spread onto your favorite veggies. Also great as a sandwich spread. I add a tiny bit of dried parsley and a bit of celery salt to the specified recipe.
It has come to my attention that the link posted in this recipe is no longer working, so I decided to post the whole recipe.
Cream Cheese Herb Spread
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup butter (softened)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black peper
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp dried parsley
Stir all ingredients together until smooth (the softer your cream cheese and butter are, the easier this will be.) Adjust seasonings accordingly. Sometimes I up the herb amounts just a little and/or add a little sprinkle of paprika. Cheese mixture may be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen up to three months.
Makes 3 cups.
Peanut-Pecan Butter and Oatmeal Cookies
http://m.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peanut-Pecan-Butter-and-Oatmeal-Cookies-368298
These cookies are so delicious. They’re crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are flavorful and are arguably even “healthy,” at least as compared to other cookies, due to the protein in the nut butters and fiber in the oatmeals. They are our new favorite and are even easy to make, since the dough can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until needed. A dough scoop makes these even easier to whip out quickly.
Chocolate-Chip Walnut Biscotti
Recipe here. Obviously, I’m a little obsessed with biscotti lately. I’ve really enjoyed learning how to make these and am experimenting with as many new recipes as possible. These are absolutely divine. Super rich and very flavorful. I use a small offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate on, rather than dipping, as I find it a little easier and neater. I also use pecans instead of walnuts, because I live in Texas and walnuts are evil.
Almond & Lemon Biscotti Dipped in White Chocolate
Recipe here. These are very yummy, but VERY crunchy. Beware if you have dental issues – LOL. They are delicious, however, if dunked in a cup of espresso or hot tea. Or you could even crumble them over ice cream!
Black Bean Salsa from our friend A.F.
Black Bean Salsa
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1 16 ounce bag frozen sweet corn, thawed to room temperature and drained
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups dried black beans, soaked overnight, cooked until tender and drained)
1 large (or 2 small) white onion, finely chopped
one 10-ounce package cherry or grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped
leaves from 1 large bunch cilantro, chopped
3 large jalapeño peppers, minced (Remove seeds from 1 or 2 of the peppers before chopping to control the spiciness; the “heat” is in the ribs and seeds.)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
salt to taste (start with about 3/4 tsp)
Heat the butter over high heat in a large sauté pan until foamy. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is browned and very fragrant.
Place corn in a very large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Toss gently to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste. Feel free to add a little cumin or a minced garlic clove or a little Adobo seasoning or chili powder, if that suits your taste. Of course, you can always adjust the proportions if you prefer less onion, more
tomato, etc.
Serve with tortilla chips (these are fun and hold lots of chunky salsa) or use
in quesadillas, soft tacos or nachos.
This recipe makes a HUGE batch, fit for a large BBQ or potluck, but it keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days or the quantities are easy to adjust, if you’d prefer to make a smaller batch.
