Sour Cream Biscuits

Are you still making biscuits with a mix or (gag) eating biscuits out of a can?
STOP IT.
Biscuits are one of the easiest recipes to experiment with if you are feeling uncertain about trying your hand at baking. Here's the scoop- these are absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. And simple. What more could you ask for?
Oh, Strawberry Jam. Get some.

Sour Cream Biscuits
adapted from Allrecipes.com

print recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons water

Mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in medium bowl. Add sour cream and mix to a soft dough. Add additional water if necessary.
Turn dough out onto floured surface. Pat dough to about one inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or glass about 3 inches in diameter.

Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 12 minutes.

Tips:

-a review on Allrecipes said the tester used fat free sour cream and loved the result.

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Team USA Crepes

What's better (and easier) for brunch than home made crepes?
Don't say cereal.
Never made crepes? If you have a blender, they take about 2 minutes to throw together.
Hello Olympic crepe brunch party. Ready for 17 days of TV in the summer?
USA USA USA.
Shoot. Should have thrown some blueberries in there.

Team USA Crepes
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk (any type skim to whole)
1/3 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons melted butter

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse 10-12 times.
At this point, batter may be stored in fridge for up to two days.
Refrigerate batter for one hour if time allows. This will allow the batter to thicken a bit and produce a crepe that is easier to handle.
Heat a crepe pan* or small pan (6-8 inches) coated with teflon over medium high heat. Once the pan is heated, spray with non stick cooking spray or drop a small amount of butter into the pan and coat the pan evenly. Pour just enough batter into the pan to coat the bottom of the pan. Tip the pan until batter is evenly distributed.  If the pan is heated properly, the batter should cook quickly.   After about 20-30 seconds flip the crepe and cook on the opposite side. Cook for about another 20 seconds and remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue to cook the crepes until all of the batter is cooked. Stagger the crepes on the paper towel so they cool and the paper towel absorbs the moisture from the cooked crepes.
To serve, roll up fresh fruit in crepes and top with sweetened whipped cream and more fresh fruit.
See other topping ideas below.


Tips:
-*No need for a fancy electric crepe cooker. I use a simple 6 inch teflon-coated crepe pan that I've had for about 25 years. You may also use a small teflon pan.
-Other toppings: Nutella, a popular chocolate spread in Europe is wonderful drizzled (heat up the Nutella a bit)  on top of crepes or spread inside. Top with fruit and more Nutella and cream if desired.
-Cook several crepes ahead of time and have a crepe bar for brunch. Crepes may be served at room temperature. Serve with fresh fruits, nuts, Nutella, whipped cream, yogurt,  powdered sugar, cocoa powder, etc.  Let everyone build their own crepe.

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Limeade Slush

Last night my friends Mel and Jo put on a party for 60 ladies in our neighborhood. They served Southwest Salad with Cilantro Honey Lime Dressing, Chicken Taquitos, chips and salsa to go with the Mexican Fiesta theme. 
We read Mexican sayings/quotes: 
La suerte no es como la preñez, que dura nueve meses 
translated-
Luck is not like pregnancy which lasts for nine months
Um, ok. 
Put flowers in our hair. Is this a Mexican tradition? We had a long conversation about this. 
Broke a pinata, filled with (of course) Chicklets. Laughed and visited until the sun went down. 
For dessert they made Mexican Wedding Cookies (Cooks Illustrated version) which were absolutely delicious. And a chocolate cinnamon chile cookie. Yum. To top it all off we had a refreshing lime slush. 
Making slush is really simple. Throw all of the ingredients together, freeze, and a few hours later scoop it into cups and top with a little soda. You're going to love this . 
Ole. 





Limeade Slush
Jo Cash
print recipe


1-12 oz can of frozen limeade, mixed up according to directions
3 cups sugar
8 cups water (in addition to the water you will add to the limeade concentrate)
Juice of 5 limes (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
2 drops green food coloring


10-12 oz cups, about 30
1- 2 litre bottle 7-Up


The day before serving:
Mix first 5 ingredients together in large container. Stir until all sugar is dissolved. 
Freeze overnight or until completely solid. 
Take mixture out of freezer about 1/2 hour before serving and set on counter to thaw slightly. 
When ready to serve, use a large serving spoon to scrape the frozen mixture into cups. 
Fill with frozen limeade to top of cup.  Slowly pour in soda until cup is filled. 
Makes about 30  10-12 oz servings. 
Tips:
-A deep container works best for serving purposes (easier to scrape out frozen juice). A shallow pan (9x13) will freeze faster. You will need 2-3 9x13 pans. 
-I've also had this slush with diet grapefruit soda in place of the 7-UP. 

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Grilled Salmon with Simple Lemon Aioli

Did you think I had fallen off the face of the earth? I'm still here. Just returned from a vaca with Grant. Celebrating our 30 years of wedded bliss.
Fish is one of my favorites. It probably doesn't seem like it, since I don't post a lot of fish recipes. Here's the deal- my favorite recipe for fish is: a little lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cook until barely done.
A few thoughts about fish from my fuzzy mind at 3:30 in the morning. Insomnia/jet lag. It's a beautiful thing...

The first pic is of a sea bass we ate in Greece. Absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. The price tag? Not so wonderful. Let's just say, never, ever, sit down to lunch in Greece (or anywhere else for that matter) and let the restaurant owner give you suggestions without seeing the printed menu. The bill may form undesirable negative attitudes about Greece in general. No worries though, Greece's economic  woes may now be repaired. eh eh eh.

Here's another pic from the trip. I know, you wanted to see photos of ruins, but I thought you would enjoy this special treat. A fish pedicure. It's all the rage in Europe and Asia. Yes. That's right. Tourists lining up to pay money to plunge their feet into a tank (not cleaned in between pedicures) of small fish who then eat the dead skin off of their feet. Really? Am I the only one who thinks this is really disgusting?

Alright. Back to my dish. I wanted to serve salmon for Brookie's birthday a few weeks back, but also  wanted it to be a little out of the ordinary.  It was June, so we fired up the bbq.  Thought maybe some type of lemony drizzle would be festive. I Googled "Aioli and lemon" and came up with a recipe calling for mayo and lemon juice. Typically aioli is made with crushed garlic, egg yolk and olive oil. Whisking those ingredients together will produce an aioli. I was in a hurry, so I improvised and came up with this quickie sauce.
If you love simple, fresh and delish, you'll love this.




Grilled Salmon with Simple Lemon Aioli
A Bountiful Kitchen
print recipe

Wild Salmon fillet, about 1 1/2  lbs
one fresh lemon
salt and pepper
cilantro or parsley for garnish

Heat grill to medium high heat. Coat grill with non stick cooking spray.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon on to fish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Place fish on grill, skin side down.
Cover with lid of grill and cook for about 8-12 minutes. Do not turn over.
Check to see if fish is done by using a fork and pulling apart the fish gently at the thickest part. If the fish flakes apart easily, and is not fleshy looking inside, it is done. Do not overcook. The fish should be done in no more than about 12 minutes. Using a large spatula, transfer the fish to a plate. Cover with foil until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Serves about 4-6

Simple Lemon Aioli
1/2 cup mayo (not low fat)
1/4 cup yogurt, plain
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon rind, grated
fresh ground pepper and coarse seal salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Pass alongside fish, vegetables, chicken.
If desired, spoon into a small plastic bag. Snip off small corner of bag, squeeze sauce onto fish in zigzag pattern.

Tips:
-I have found the freshest fish in Btown is sold at Costco. A few years ago I took a series of sushi making classes at Orson Gygi in SLC.  Jonas Otsuji, Sushi Chef (Survivor 2012 contestant) who taught the class recommended Costco as a source of fresh fish for those who live in mountain states.  I've purchased it several times over the years to make sushi and fresh fish dishes. I highly recommend cooking fish the same day it is purchased.
-I also highly recommend spending a few extra bucks and buying wild salmon, instead of the farm raised. It's seasonal, so it is not available year round. Wild vs farm raised? Remember the story about the fish pedi's?
Same concept.
In my mind.
The farm raised are swimming around eating everything in the tank. Ok, Ill stop there. Just buy the fresh and not farm raised when you have the option. Enough said.
-Broiling as an option- I broil fish all of the time. Simply place on a cookie sheet, line it with foil if you like for easy clean up. Spray the surface of the pan or foil with cooking spray. Place the rack on the second to top rack in the oven. Broil on high for about 8-10 minutes. Do not turn over.
-Make sure to snip a small corner of the bag if you want your aioli drizzle to look beautiful. I obviously was in  a hurry and snipped off a large hole, hence the thick, unattractive drizzle  :o
-If your grill has grates that are spaced quite far apart, you may want to use a soaked cedar plank to cook the fish, so it doesn't fall into the grill. Another option is to place the fish on a layer of foil, (double layer is best) then grill over the flame. You won't get as much of the bbq flavor, but if the option is foil or losing the fish in the grates, I choose foil. 

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Italian Oven Fries

We had these at River's Run last time we visited Mary and Will in Mississippi.  I use this recipe when I'm short on time and want to whittle away at the 50 lb bag of Idaho potatoes in my garage. It's a quick, kid friendly side dish that goes with almost any meal. YUM.

Baked Italian Fries
adapted slightly from Mad Hungry
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6 or 7 Idaho Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch-thick French fry-style strips, soaked in cold water
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or some combo of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and basil
2 cups freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400* degrees.
Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on each of 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread out the potatoes. Overlapping is fine.
Sprinkle the dried herbs evenly over the potatoes. Liberally spread the cheese and parsley on top. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cheese. Scatter the cubed butter around the pans.
Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, rotating the pans after 30 minutes, for 45 to 50 minutes total. Use a spatula to lift off the potatoes with all the crusty cheese adhered to them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. 

Potato Prep: For a French-fry cut, peel the potatoes and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Stack the slices on top of one another, a few at a time, and slice lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick strips. Peeled and sliced potatoes can turn brown pretty quickly. To avoid this, try floating the peeled, cut pieces in cold, salted water. When you're ready to cook, drain them and pat dry.

Tips:

-Soaking the potatoes in water is not necessary if you are in a hurry. I have made this recipe several times and skipped this step.

-You may also skip the peeling step. Just scrub the potatoes clean before slicing. 

-* I turn the oven to 425 convection and bake them for about 20 minutes total.

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Crunchy Coconut French Toast

Last year Grant and I took a few days and visited one of our favorite spots in the U.S. -   Marco Island, Florida. Marco is a beautiful island south of Naples on the Gulf side of Florida. If you visit after Easter, you practically have the beach to yourself on the weekdays. Unbelievably beautiful. Wanna see some pics?









We ate breakfast twice at a little place called Nene's Kitchen. First visit, the waitress talked me into trying the Crunchy French Toast. Pleasant surprise. The second time back, I ordered the same thing.  Which I normally wouldn't do on vaca. But it complies with my "Food Rules" as Brooke calls them:

Rule #1: No ordering the same thing twice (while on vaca), unless it's unbelievably amazing, or you are trying to figure out how to make it at home.
Rule #2 No ordering the same thing as your dining partner (EVER). I'll spare you and stop at rule #2.




Following rule #1, we tried  about 10 different flavors at this delectable little cupcake shop- 
Simply Cupcakes of Olde Marco. My favorite? The Key Lime Cupcake. Still on a quest to re-create. That's another post....


When I returned home, I wanted to re-create the dish, and not by mistake (bc I don't believe in those, that, whatever) my friend Jo made this yummy stuffed french toast for a neighborhood breakfast. I'm not usually a fan of stuffed french toast, but this recipe was not too rich, and had the crunch I loved at Nene's. Here it is, revised a little. I'll print it as Jolene made it, and also with my alterations.  Oh, btw, when Jake was a baby, he called Corrine  "Neenee". Prob bc we always called her Corriney. Hence the reasoning behind trying this restaurant.
There are no mistakes. Even at breakfast.




This would be yummy for Easter Brunch. This weekend. Remember? You are cooking Easter brunch/dinner, right?  Yes, I'm talking to you.
One last thought.
Just say no to prepared food at Costco.


Crunchy Coconut French Toast
Jo Cash
print recipe

For stuffed french toast:
1-8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
chopped pecans

8 slices white bread, thick slice or dense white (Jo used Granny Sycamores)

Mix together and spread a little (1-2 tablespoons) between two slices of bread.
If you want to make the french toast without stuffing the slices of bread, simply cut out the step above.

For coating bread:
4 eggs
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup loose packed coconut

Beat eggs, milk and vanilla in a pie plate.
Mix the crushed cornflakes and coconut in a separate dish.
Dip bread into the egg mixture and then the cornflake mixture.
Heat  a griddle to medium - medium high heat and coat lightly with butter or spray with PAM.
Fry the bread pieces on griddle until lightly browned on each side. Do not pat down. Do not turn more than once. Watch carefully so coconut does not burn. Keep slices warm in oven till serving.
Serve with Cinnamon Syrup.

Jo's Cinnamon Syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream

Stir together everything except the cream. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over moderate heat and boil for 2 minutes. Syrup will thicken as it cools. Remove from heat and stir in cream.
Makes 1 1/3 cups, store in fridge.


Tips:
-When I asked Jo for this recipe, she ran the recipe over with a loaf of Great Harvest Cinnamon Swirl Bread. I tried it with the Cinna-Swirl and loved it. As stated above, Jo used the Granny Sycamore White bread. I loved that as well. She made a tray of the stuffed version, and cut the pieces into triangles (fourths of a slice). Usually, I'm not interested in touching a piece of french toast that is not piping hot, but this was really yummy. If you are serving this to a crowd, double the recipe and place the slices in the oven until ready to serve. Slice the pieces in half or fourths, serve with a bowl of Cinnamon Syrup in the center of a platter.
-You could also make this ahead of time and "stuff" the pieces of bread, dip and coat with crumbs, arrange in a single layer on cookies sheet or 9x13 pan. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to cook, remove from fridge, and cook as directed.
-Always serve with home made syrup, this will give your french toast, waffles or pancakes the WOW factor :)

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Boneless Pork Ribs with Apple Cinnamon Barbecue Sauce

The convo tonight at the ballpark turned to important things. Number one on the list: What's for dinner?
If I don't plan early in the day, it's drive thru, or quesadillas, or grilled cheese with tomato soup. Again.
I came up with this dish last week. Served it with some rice I threw in the rice cooker and a salad.  My inspiration? Boneless ribs on sale for about $2.50 per pound.
Yum.

Boneless Pork Ribs with Apple Cinnamon Barbecue Sauce
A Bountiful Kitchen
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2 1/2 lbs pork boneless ribs
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small apple, cored and chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed or minced
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup steak sauce ( I used HP)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Set rack on lower half of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat heavy pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and ribs seasoned with salt and pepper.  Brown ribs on all sides quickly, remove from pan and set aside. Turn heat  down to medium and add apple and onion. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until softened. Turn off heat. Add garlic. Cook in hot pan for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients to pan. Stir until combined. Add ribs back to pan and turn to coat with sauce.
Cover pan with foil and lid. Place pan in preheated oven, shut oven door and reduce heat to 250 for 3 1/2- 5 hours.
Turn oven off and leave meat in oven until ready to serve. As long as meat is covered tightly, it may stay in the oven for 2-3 additional hours.

Tips:
-If you are in a hurry, skip the browning step, mix everything except the meat and olive oil together in a bowl. Place the meat in a lightly greased oven proof pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with sauce.  Cover pan with foil and a lid. Bake as directed.

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Super Simple 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm probably the last person on the planet to try this recipe. I saw it the other day on my new found love, Pinterest, and pinned away. My comment was something like "Serious? 5 ingredient cookies?"
I wondered how good they could really be, without flour, and only 5 ingredients. I showed them to Jake and he said, "If these are good, I'm making them every weekend for girls, they'll think I'm a genius".
Hello, Jake, I hate to break it to you but it will take a lot more than this...
So we whipped up a batch. The skeptic in me thought -these will probably be awful.  Guess what? Pleasantly surprised. I followed the directions exactly, and in less than 1/2 hour we were sampling some pretty tasty cookies.
I'm thinking my friends (who will remain nameless)  that have cooking/baking challenges will be able to throw these together in a flash, and succeed in the kitchen! Great for peeps with gluten issues too. And college students. How about those living abroad who have trouble buying ingredients for treats? Everything except the egg can be packaged and sent.
Super simple, pantry-ready, yummy homemade cookies in just a few minutes. Yum.

5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pinterest
print recipe

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
½ heaping cup milk chocolate chips ( I like Guittard brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips. When blended, mix in the chocolate chips. Using a small scoop, form 1 1/2 inch balls (dough will be very wet and sticky) and place onto an un-greased parchment  or Silpat (silicone) lined cookie sheet*. Don't  make them too big because they spread. 

Bake for 9 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely before removing. 

Tips:

-I also baked one pan without a liner of any type, ungreased on the cookie sheet, they did not stick and turned out just like the other pans. 

-I did not pat the scoops of dough down at all before baking. 

-Yield about 24 cookies. 

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Mexican Couscous

Here's the couscous dish I told you about yesterday. Loved it with the Cream Cheese Enchiladas. Unbelievably simple. And if you were feeling guilty about the cream cheese and sour cream in the enchiladas, this dish has very little fat. Perfect side for the rich enchiladas. Have a great weekend!

Mexican Couscous

adapted from Allrecipes
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1 cup couscous, dry  (equals about 3-4 cups cooked)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

fresh ground pepper
1 1/4 cups boiling water

1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 cup chopped tomatoes, optional
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

zest from one lime
3-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

Combine the couscous, cumin, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the boiling water and seal bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes.
After couscous has "cooked" break up with fork so the pieces are not clumped together.  Stir remaining ingredients into couscous. Add more salt and fresh ground pepper if needed. 

May be served hot, cold or at room temperature. 

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Peanut Butter Scotchies and Happy Bday Stephen!

How to make Mother sad:

Mother sends package to Mexico to son on mission, in November, with Christmas gifts inside. December 25th. No package received.
Mother sends package to son mid-December with home made treats, hoping it will get there close to Christmas/New Year. No package received.
Mother sends package end of December for missionary son's January birthday.
Seven weeks after first package sent. Still, no packages received. Sob. Sob. Sniff, Sniff.

How to make Mother happy:

Mother talks to son on SKYPE (greatest invention, EVER) on Christmas day. Son doesn't care he didn't receive package, he is just beaming and so thrilled to be able to talk and see his family online!
Mother sends email just before son's birthday.
The email starts off with- Questions: PACKAGES????
Son's response in email later that day: "No packages, yet. Don't worry about it. I love you! I miss you a lot." 
Also in Mother's email to son: Do you need anything?
Missionary son: "I just want some homemade cookies or something haha." 

"And maybe some potato salad." 

Well at least HE still has a sense of humor about the packages not being delivered!
I'm grateful to have a son who has lost himself in service, and doesn't think it's a big deal to celebrate Christmas or his birthday without a gift.
Note to me: It's just stuff. 

I tried to send this treat( the recipe I'm posting today) a month before his b-day. I even saved one square, wrapped it up, taped a little note on it and set it next to my computer. The note said "do not eat till December 29th". A few of my friends saw my note taped to the treat, and were really amused by this. Do you think this is funny? Doesn't everyone do this?   I wanted to see/sample for myself how fresh it would taste if he received it two weeks after I sent it. Um. Well, whatever. For the record, it was still decent. Not super fresh, but if you were, say, living in a foreign country, and you hardly ever got home made treats, you would probably think it was wonderful :), even if it was a little less than fresh. That is, if you ever received your mail.   
Ok, enough of my rant about mail, treats and the lack of timely, or any delivery.
**Update 1/23  Letter home from Stephen. He received two packages on his birthday! His Christmas gifts were a little late. Next Christmas, Ill send in September. Yay! 

On to wishing Stephen a happy birthday!

How did you grow up so fast?? 

About 19 years later....Stephen (on the right) with his last companion, Elder Gallan. 

I'm posting these, because last year when Stephen left on his mission (yes, it's been 11 months!)- He requested Peanut Butter Scotchies for his farewell celebration. You can look back here to that day...
I thought his birthday was an appropriate day to post one of his favorite treats!
Happy birthday, Stephen.
love and miss you,
Mum

Peanut Butter Scotchies
aka, Chocolate Scotcheroos
print recipe

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
4 cups Rice Krispies*
1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips (or one 11 oz package)**
1 1/2 cups  semi sweet chocolate chips (or one 11-12 oz package)**

Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil . Add peanut butter and cereal.
Remove from heat, and press into a greased 9x13 pan.
Place the butterscotch and chocolate chips in a glass bowl in microwave for about 1 1/2  minutes, stirring  and place back into microwave for 30 seconds and repeating stirring until all chips are melted. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes total.
Spread the melted chips on tops of the cereal mixture in the pan. let cool and cut into bars.

Tips:
*The original recipe from Kellogg's uses 6 cups of cereal, I have always used 4.
**They also use only one cup each of the butterscotch and chocolate chips. I like to have a really thick layer of topping, so I use more chips.
-Don't over cook the sugar and Karo Syrup mixture, just bring to a boil and remove from heat. If you over boil, the bars will become very hard and difficult to cut.

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Honey Cornbread Muffins

I made these as part of a lunch, for some of my favorite 16-18 year old friends in November. Want to see a pic? They're so cute. Once a month we get to have lunch together either at Kathleen's, the school or my home.  I promised I would post the recipe. 

You know I'm a fan of cornbread of almost any type. These fit into the pantry ready category. Meaning you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry to make these. Perfect with soup. 

Next post: Vegetarian Minestrone. 

Honey Cornbread Muffins
The Neely's, Food Network
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1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup honey

Special equipment: paper muffin cups and a 12-cup muffin tin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Into a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter, and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
Place muffin paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture into the papers. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden.

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Salsa de Pina - Pineapple Salsa

I Pinned this recipe several months ago, and have made it a few times since. Love it.  We usually eat it up so quickly, I forget to take a photo. Perfect with fish tacos, enchiladas, or tortilla chips. It's simple and fresh, and everyone loves it.
Everyone except one 15 year old boy, who will remain nameless.

Salsa de Pina Picante- Pineapple Salsa
adapted slightly from Savuer magazine
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1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 jalapenos, stemmed and minced
½ small red onion, chopped fine

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature.

Tips:

-If making this ahead, refrigerate and add red onion just before serving. The acidity of the pineapple may make the red color in the onion bleed onto the fruit if prepared ahead.

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Fruit Platter 101

What was your holiday dinner assignment? A fruit platter? Does your mother in law think you can't cook?  I'm going to show you how to build a beautiful fruit platter. It looks way better than throwing fruit into a bowl, or just onto a plate. And it takes about two minutes longer.  Next time, she's going to give you a big girl cooking assignment, trust me.



Fruit Platter for 25
print instructions without photos

1 large head of leaf lettuce, I like Red Lead, but any type will do, pick the biggest head of lettuce you can find, yes it has to be leaf lettuce
1 ripe pineapple
3-4 pounds seedless grapes green or purple, washed, try to pick vibrant colors for contrast on the tray
32 oz strawberries, watermelon or other red fruit, washed
1 tray about 18-24 inches in diameter*


Wash the lettuce, spin it dry.
Lay the leaves around the tray, so it covers the bottom and most of the middle too.

Wash the top of the pineapple under some running water, shake to dry. Slice the pineapple, cutting the ends off first, then down the sides to remove the outer layer. Reserve the top for garnish.

 Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise. Cut again into quarters. Remove the hard core, discard.  If the pineapple is extra large, Cut each quarter into another long strip. Cut the long strips into chunks. Set aside.
Place the top of the pineapple into the middle of the platter.

Place the pineapple chunks in two sections, on opposite sides of the platter.
Repeat  with the strawberries and grapes.

Take a pair of clean scissors and cut the grapes into little sections of 4 or 5 per bundle, so they are easy to pick up.

Tips:
- If you don't have a tray, you can use lots of different items as a base for your fruit platter. Try: a pizza pan,  a cookie sheet, a piece of cardboard covered with foil, an old frozen pizza cardboard liner covered with foil, your broiler pan covered with foil. Or, go to your local thrift store and pick up a tray for $1.

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Cutler's Mexican Wedding or Snowball Cookies

How can a cookie with only four ingredients taste SO good?
Curt  Cutler made his famous Mexican Wedding aka Snowball cookies at our holiday cookie class on Tuesday.
I'm a sucker for anything that resembles a shortbread cookie: one part sugar, two parts butter, three parts flour, no leavening. Oh, and a little powdered sugar to top it off.
Seriously, simplicity never tasted so good.





Cutler's Mexican Wedding Cookies aka Snowball Cookies
print recipe

2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups flour

powdered sugar for top of cookies after baking

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Add pecans and flour and mix until well blended.
Form cookies using a cookie scoop into approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch balls. Drop cookies onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 14-15 minutes.
Let cool, then dip into powdered sugar. Store in a single layer, covered.

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Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

If you are into planning ahead, and want to get some of the cooking out of the way before the big day, you may want to try out this recipe. It's simple and really yummy. The great thing about this recipe is all of the work is done before your holiday meal is in the final stages of preparation; leaving you free to worry about other items like where to place Aunt Edna's Porkbelly and Egg Aspic.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
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8 large potatoes, I like Russets
8 ounces sour cream, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temp- low fat or regular (I used regular)
1/2 cup milk, warmed
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1-2 teaspoon salt

Place potatoes in large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and skins split.
Drain potatoes, peel and place in large bowl. Mash with sour cream, cream cheese, warmed milk, salt, and butter, stirring until butter and cream cheese have melted.
Spread potatoes into greased 13 x 9 baking dish.
Dot top of casserole with butter if desired.
Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to use.
Let refrigerated potatoes sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
Bake covered dish at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Tips:
-If you like mix-ins with your potatoes, add some crushed garlic, bacon, cheese, and or chives before baking.
-You may prepare these up to 5 days before serving. 

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Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions

Here's my vote for a super simple, fresh and delicious holiday side dish. Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions. You've roasted veggies in your oven, right? If not, you are really missing out. The difference between say, boiling yams on the stove and roasting, well, in my humble opinion, they're not even comparable. Roasting brings out the sweetness in any vegetable. And it's the perfect choice if you want to enjoy yams, but are trying to save calories for other traditional treats. Like PIE :)

Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions
adapted from Sparkpeople.com
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3 yams
3 onions (preferably sweet)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
garnish with fresh herbs, if desired

Peel and cut the yams and onions into bite size chunks. Toss in a bowl with olive oil and balsamic. Pour veggies onto a jelly roll (13"x18") pan. Generously season with salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until tender. Toss once during cooking.
Serves 8.

Tips:
-You may prep the veggies the day before and store in a container in the fridge. Toss with oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Roast before dinner. Or, you may prepare this a day or two before and refrigerate. Take  out and heat up in oven or in microwave just before serving. We had these for dinner last week, and they were yummy heated up as leftovers the next day.

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How to make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice

Last week I was shopping for some spices and started to throw a canister of Pumpkin Pie Spice into the cart. I looked twice at the price $4.99 for a tiny 1.12 oz jar.  YIKES. I turned the jar around and looked at the ingredients: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg and Allspice. I knew I had all of those at home in my spice cupboard. I placed the jar back on the shelf, and went on my way. Back at the ranch, I fired up the computer. Looked for "Pumpkin Pie Spice" recipes. About 2,180,000 results. Oh my.  No, I didn't look at all of the results, but I did read a few. I came up with this recipe, a combo of other recipes. On a label, the ingredients listed are in order of ingredients found in the largest amount, by weight,  down to the ingredients found in the least amount.  I re-read the label, and decided to add a little bit of ground cloves too, because everyone loves a bit of clove during holiday season, right?
By my calculation, I spent about $2.00 on close to double the amount of spice I was able to mix up in my own kitchen. I bought some cute little crocks to put the spice mix in, but you can use anything you have around the house, or an old spice bottle ( I would use one of the spices contained in the pump pie spice mix). How's that for thrifty? Mom would be proud. In a good way. 
Are you in the mood for cooking? I hope so.  Ten more days!!  Here's the lineup for the rest of the week:

Tues: Sheri's Southern Cornbread Dressing
Wed: Balsamic Roasted Yams and Onions
Thu: Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole
Fri: Sheri's  Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugared Pecans
Sat: Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie



Pumpkin Pie Spice
A Bountiful Kitchen
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3 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cloves

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with a fork or small whisk.
Store in a jar or small Ziploc bag.

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