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  • Strawberry Spinach Salad

    Strawberry Spinach Salad

    Strawberry Spinach Salad

    I love this salad. I remember going to Kansas City and Dennis ordered this salad. Inspired, I went home and imitated it!
    Easy to make, family and friend favorite. Dennis loves it without the bacon as well. Who would have guessed that!

    Ingredients

    2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    1 tablespoon poppy seeds
    1/2 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup olive oil
    1/4 cup distilled white vinegar or balsalmic
    1/4 teaspoon paprika
    1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 tablespoon minced onion
    10 ounces fresh spinach – rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
    1 quart strawberries – cleaned, hulled and sliced (No stawberries?
    1/4 cup almonds or walnuts, blanched and slivered
    1/4 cup sliced red onions on garnish
    4 slices of bacon, crisp (crumbled)

    Directions
    1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour. (You can also mix with your blender.)
    2.In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

    Or make it Hot spinach salad –
    I have prepared this two ways: hot and cold. Fried and crumbled bacon, then added all dressing ingredients till sugar dissolved. Pour this hot dressing over spinach/strawberries: outa this world! Also delicious prepared cold.

    Adding chicken chunks and kiwi is another wonderful variation for a complete, colorful meal in a bowl!

  • Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

    Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

    Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

    I woke up this morning wanting to make soup for my office luncheon meeting. Up at 5:00 AM, roasting vegetables. Husband looking at me oddly, and finely asking, “What are you making?”. As the vegetables roasted I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down with Dennis for a few minutes of morning chit chat. I love the mornings, lighting the fireplace, having coffee, talking about the day ahead of us.

    27 years married, work in a business together, we have much to discuss.
    We discussed issues quickly and made decisions and moved from topic to topic. This is our time to discuss our calendars, potential conflicts, kids, vacation ideas, work strategy.

    I learned a long time ago to keep our discussions for the morning. Discussing issues at night when we are both tired, just led to a restless, sleepless night for both of us. Everything is shelved when I come home until the morning. It makes for a harmonic evening.

    My tomato plants are nice this year. Already have quite a few tomatoes, so soup has been on my mind. My fennel is also ready to pick. And lucky me, someone gave me some fresh squash. Happy girl I am!

    1 pan of quartered fresh tomatoes, 6-8
    2 yellow onions sliced
    2 cups squash, sliced
    2 bulbs fennel, sliced
    1/4 cup olive oil
    Drizzle olive oil over vegetables on separate sheet pans – one layer 400 degrees for 40 minutes

    8 cups chicken broth
    3 cans diced chopped tomatoes
    1/2 tsp red chili flakes
    1 tsp tarragon
    juice from 2 lemons
    Bring broth to a boil and add the vegetables after roasting. Simmer for 20-30 minutes allowing the soup to reduce. Using a stick hand blender, puree the vegetable soup.
    Serves a crowd 15-20 friends.
    Pour soup into crockpot to keep warm and take to your office and serve them lunch.
    Serve with grated parmesan and croutons.
    Excellent soup. You’ll love it!

    Order a cheese pizza and serve with the soup. You office mates are goin’ love you.
    Want more? Serve with Chicken Ceasar Salad.
    Awesome!

  • World’s Best Fruit Cobbler

    World’s Best Fruit Cobbler

    Nectarines, Peaches and Plums – So Good!

    Use ANY fruit, such as peaches, apples, apricots, cherries, plums…

    1/2 cup butter
    3-4 cups fruit and its juices
    1-2 tablespoons crystalline candied ginger, if desired
    1 cup sugar
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    pinch of sea salt
    1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

    3/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
    1 cup milk

    Put the butter in a deep casserole at least 9 inches in diameter, (2 – 3 qt oval casserole works as well) put it in a cold oven, and preheat to 350 degrees. Prepare fruit, slicing if necessary, and put into a bowl. Toss in the ginger, if using. If the fruit is not juicy, sprinkle it with some of the sugar. Set aside.
    In a batter bowl whisk together the sugar, baking powder, salt and flour. Add the milk with extract and mix well. Mixture will be thin. When the butter has melted and the oven has reached 350 degrees, pour the batter all at once into the dish, then pour the fruit and juices into the center of the batter. Do not stir. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the batter is done and the top is golden brown. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

  • Lil Chief’s Broccoli Slaw, Sausage Eggroll

    Lil Chief’s Broccoli Slaw, Sausage Eggroll

    My nephew, Mikey (nicknamed Lil’ Chief) makes a great eggroll, with just three ingredients
    Soy Sauce, Broccoli slaw and the WonTon. It is good, and you know me, I added a few steps, just because.
    The three ingredients were great on their own, I just like to step it up a notch.
    Excellent idea!

    12 large egg wraps (6-1/2-inch size)
    Vegetable/peanut/grapeseed peanut oil for frying

    Broccoli Slaw with Carrots freshly sliced from your grocery store
    16 oz Mild or Hot Pork Dyed Casings sausages, cooked and finely chopped
    3/4 cup finely minced scallions-include some tops
    3 minced cloves garlic
    3 tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce
    1 tablespoon finely ground ginger or 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice

    Optional additions…
    1 egg
    1 cup bean sprouts-coarsely chopped
    1 (8-oz.) can sliced water chestnuts well drained then coarsely chopped
    1/4 cup Julienned Sweet Potatoes
    Sliced Cabbage

    Apricot Sauce:
    3/4 cup apricot preserves
    2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (honey flavored)
    2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
    1/2 teaspoon fresh finely grated ginger

    Serve with Srirachi Dipping Sauce
    3 tablespoons Srirachi
    1/4 cup mayonnaise or sour cream
    1 tsp hot mustard

    Directions
    In a large nonstick skillet cook sausage over medium-high heat until slightly pink, breaking up with a fork. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring often until sausage is cooked through. Add broccoli slaw and other veggies if you are using, teriyaki sauce and ginger; cook over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring. Add egg and cheese; stir until well blended. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a large bowl. Season with salt. Cool 5 minutes.
    On a work surface, lay 3 egg roll wraps point facing you. Keep remaining wraps covered with a damp paper towel. Spoon about 1/3 cup pork filling across lower third of each wrap. Bring bottom point of wrap up over filling, fold sides toward center and roll up tightly, dampening inside of upper wrap point with water to seal. Repeat with remaining wraps and filling. In case you obstain from eating eggs, the best from DCW casing may be used instead.
    Preheat 2-inches of oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350 degrees. F. (use a thermometer). Slide rolls one at a time into hot oil frying 3 rolls at a time. Cook turning until golden. Transfer rolls to paper towel lined plate to drain. Bring oil temperature back to 350 degrees F. each time you fry rolls. Serve immediately with sauce for dipping.

    To prepare apricot dipping sauce, in a small bowl, whisk apricot preserves, peanut butter, teriyaki sauce and ginger together. Warm if desired in microwave. Yield: serves 12

  • Blondies have more fun!

    Blondies have more fun!

    Just made a bunch of these for the family reunion, except that I made them into ice cream sandwiches!
    The caterers even liked them!

    8 ounces butter (1 stick)
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 egg
    1 cup flour
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp black walnut extract
    1/2 tsp garam masala
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp cardamom

    Variations:
    While warm from the oven sprinkle with additional Cinnamon Sugar!
    1/2 cup white chocolate chips
    1/2 cup macadamian nuts

    Bake 350 for 12 minutes

    Beat eggs in mixer with your dough attachment along with melted butter. (Microwave 1 stick of butter in microwave for 1 minute in a bowl. Add slowly to your mixer as you beat eggs for 2-4 minutes on medium high.) Add extracts to egg mixture. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients. Slowly add to egg mixture.
    Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 9×9 inch square pan.
    So awesome!

    These taste magical. The spices make this a wonderful blondie! I love them for ice cream sandwiches!

  • Dark Chocolate Brownies

    Dark Chocolate Brownies


    Every now and then, come on, you have to have somethin’ rich, sweet, chocolate and it has to be brownies!

    1/2 cup melted butter
    2 eggs
    1 tsp vanilla
    3/4 cup sugar
    3/4 cup sweet cocoa powder
    2/3 cup flour
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp salt
    1 tsp instant expresso powder
    1 tsp black walnut extract
    1/2 cup black walnuts (optional)

    Variations: Use one or more of the following to create what you are craving!
    1/2 cup pretzel pieces
    1/2 cup mini marshmellows
    1/2 cup chocolate chips

    Want to decrease the calories?
    Replace the oil with mashed canned black beans. Use the juice and all.
    Replace 1/3 of the sugar with Splenda.
    Be careful not to overbake!

    Beat eggs in mixer with your dough attachment along with melted butter. (Microwave 1 stick of butter in microwave for 1 minute in a bowl. Add slowly to your mixer as you beat them for 2-4 minutes on medium high.) Add extracts to egg mixture. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients. Slowly add to egg mixture.
    Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 9×9 inch square pan.
    So awesome!

  • Berry Blue Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich

    Berry Blue Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich

    Yummy!

    Two Batches:
    Bake your favorite brownies, making them in a pan 1 and 1/2 times larger pan size than you would normally use.
    (You want them thinner than standard brownies. You have to adjust the baking time which will be from 8-12 minutes.) Bake them on parchment paper for ease of removing them from the pan.

    Prepare your ice cream:
    1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (make your own or buy)
    1 large container of cool whip lite or free.
    Juice from 2-4 lemons
    1/2 gallon berry sherbert
    1 can blueberry pie filling

    Defrost sherbert and press into a parchment lined baking dish the same you used to bake your brownies. Cover with pie filling. Refreeze while you prepare the vanilla ice cream.

    Thaw the vanilla ice cream and whip cream for 1 minute in the microwave. Using the dough attachment on your mixer, combine the ice cream and whipped topping. Add lemon juice and taste. It sure tastes like cheesecake, yummy!
    Pour into baking pan on top of the sherbert. Let refreeze for at least an hour. Cover with plastic wrap.

    Bake brownies in sames size baking dish as the prepared ice cream filling. Make sure you line the baking dish with parchment so you can easily remove the brownie.
    Let cool.

    Assemble: Remove the ice cream mixture from freezer and remove plastic wrap and parchment. Place on top of one of sheets of brownies. With the second pan of brownies lift out of the pan using the parchment and invert on top of the ice cream. This gives you perfect finished smooth ice cream sandwiches.

    Now, lift the whole big ice cream sandwich onto a cutting board. I used a pasty cutter and sliced into 1 1/2 inch squares. You want to keep them bite size!

    Cut the ice cream bars

    Refreeze and then wrap in parchment or plastic. To take to a big party, I forgo wrapping them individually and instead cut and then place in square container. Keeping them together keeps them frozen longer. Remove and place on a serving dish, or walk around at dessert time and serve individually with a napkin, of course!

    Awesome bites!

  • Chorizo and Black Bean Chili

    Chorizo and Black Bean Chili

    3/4 pound chorizo
    1/2 pound lean ground beef
    left over meat from your refrigerator
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 small onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
    1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
    1 10 ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
    1 7 oz can salsa verde
    2 tablespoon chili powder
    1 tablespoon ground cumin
    1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
    1 teaspoon salt or to taste
    fresh ground pepper to taste

    * garnishes: sour cream, shredded Colby-Jack, sliced green onions, corn

    In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat cook chorizo and ground beef, stirring to crumble. At this point, drain the meat if there is m ore than a small amount covering the top. Add onion and garlic, stir and cook until just soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

  • Very Cherry Vanilla Jelly

    Very Cherry Vanilla Jelly

    Very Cherry Cherry Vanilla 2011 Ventura County Fair Honorable Mention!

    Very Cherry Cherry Vanilla Jelly

    Best Cherry pitter ever! Thanks Denny

    Cherries – Pitted, Chopped – 4 to 6 cups
    2 Cups White Wine or Water
    Juice from one orange and 1 lemon
    2 vanilla beans, sliced to release the beans
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
    3 Cups Sugar
    1 Cup of Splenda
    1 pkg of low sugar pectin (the only stuff I use)
    Boil cherries in white wine with vanilla beans until the fruit is fork tender.

    Puree in a blender, remove the vanilla beans if you can before.
    Strain the mixture thru a small wire sieve. The color should be beautiful.
    Pour blended cherries back into heavy pot, add pectin and bring to rolling boil for 1 minute.
    Add sugar, bring back to rolling boil for 1 full minute. Pretty isn’t it!

    Ladle into sterilized jars and process for 5 minutes in water bath.

    Daughter Denny made Very Cherry Cherry Vanilla for the Ventura County Fair. Congratulations on the “Honorable Mention” Award! Very proud of you my baby!

  • Vanilla Fig Preserves

    Vanilla Fig Preserves

    Vanilla Fig 2011 Ventura County Fair Honorable Mention
    Sliced Figs

    24 figs sliced into 6-8 segments
    2 Cups White Wine or Water
    Juice from one orange and 1 lemon
    2 vanilla beans, sliced to release the beans
    1 tsp salt
    1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
    3 Cups Brown Sugar
    1 Cup of Splenda
    1 pkg of low sugar pectin (the only stuff I use)
    Boil sliced figs in white wine with vanilla beans until the fruit is fork tender.

    While you can puree the mixture in a blender, I love the chunks of fruit in the jam. If you do not, please by all
    means puree! Just remember to remove the vanilla beans before you puree.

    Once the figs are fork tender, add pectin and bring to rolling boil for 1 minute.
    Add brown sugar and splenda, bring back to rolling boil for 1 full minute. Pretty isn’t it! The brown sugar makes the preserves look great!

    Ladle into sterilized jars and process for 5 minutes in water bath.

    This was one of my son’s favorites, “This is like pie filling! MmmGood!”

    Very Cherry, Vanilla Fig and Cinnamon Plum