11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Roasted Corn & Avocado Chicken Salad {& Recipes from Avocado Lovers Site}
To contact us Click HERE
I have recently discovered that I love avocados. I mean, really love them. And I am soooo enjoying experimenting with them. ... like with my Baked Eggvocado and Guacamole Grilled Cheese. I've got an Avocado Egg Salad in the works, too ... I know, I know, it sounds weird ... but trust me, it's delicious! And now, ... this Roasted Corn & Avocado Chicken Salad.
How about you? Do you like avocados?
Well, if you are an avocado fan, then I think you'll love the new Avocados From Mexico recipe website Recipes from Avocado Lovers. I'm happy to be partnering with Avocados from Mexico to get the word out about their new site. (And my avocado recipes are included there!)
The folks at Avocados From Mexico have just launched this new recipes section on their site to give foodies who love avocados the opportunity to upload their favorite avocado recipes and discover other avocado fan favorites. Be sure to check them out!
When I learned I was going to have the opportunity for this partnership, I set about working on developing this chicken salad original recipe. I knew I wanted to do an avocado chicken salad, but I hadn't decided much direction beyond that. Then, a roasted corn & mango salsa I make all the time came to mind. Hmmmm, I thought ... what about a roasted corn & avocado chicken salad?? It could work...
... And it did work!! It's actually even better than I expected! Hubby loved it, too.
Now, due to a little grocery shopping mishap on my part, this chicken salad contains a little twist-of-an-ingredient that isn't typically found in chicken salad. It's happened to all of us ... you go grocery shopping and you think you have all your 'basics' on hand at home, right? So you don't even think about purchasing them? But then you get home, go to make a dish, reach for one of those basics, and ... Oh, no! ... find there's none of it to be found in your house? Anywhere??? Oh, yes, I just love it when that happens.
But my mishap turned out to be a very happy accident, because the mishap-replacement ingredient lends a really great flavor to the salad. Don't you love when mistakes turn out all happy like that? Stay tuned to learn what that mystery mishap ingredient is!!
Start this dish by roasting some corn kernels ... fresh or frozen ... in a skillet with a little garlic. Here's how the kernels start out ... all bright yellow.
Keep 'em going in the skillet until they get charred spots all over them, kind of like this:
(I actually could have let these kernels go a bit longer ... it's great for them to even get some black spots on them instead of just dark brown.)
Roasting the corn brings out it's natural sweetness even more, and gives it a tiny hint of a smokey flavor with its sweetness.
Mix up the roasted corn with finely chopped red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and chipotle peppers ...
... and then some chopped cooked chicken.
Next, give it some creaminess with sour cream and a teeny tiny bit of mayo. And yes, you just found the happy-accident, mishap-replacement ingredient ... sour cream! When I reached for my mayo jar, it just had teeny tiny bits of mayo left ... you know, clinging to the very bottom and sides of the jar. So I scraped out what I could and grabbed a partially-used container of sour cream from the frig to make up for the mayo I was lacking.
Okay, to be 100% honest, my plan was to mix the sour cream into just part of the chicken salad so I could stage the photo shoot for this dish. Then, I was going to run to the store and get more mayo so I could finish making the salad (and confirm that my amounts for the recipe were okay).
But when I tasted the sour cream-and-mayo-together version, I loved it! So much so that that's the way I'm writing the recipe.
Last, but certainly not least, toss diced avocado together with fresh lime juice and gently fold it into the chicken mixture. Serve the chicken salad up on a bed of lettuce, as a sandwich, or with a side of chips and dig on in.
So, love avocados? Click the banner below to check out some wonderful ways to enjoy them.
Got some fabulous avocado recipes? Upload your recipes so others (like me!) can enjoy them, too!
Submit a recipe to the Recipes From Avocado Lovers website from Avocados From Mexico
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Roasted Corn & Avocado Chicken Salad
Source: A Tracey original
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels (a 12 oz. package of frozen corn equals 2 c.)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1/3 c. chopped cilantro
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 chicken breasts, cooked and finely chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
2 medium avocados, diced
1/3 c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
If using frozen corn, thaw corn completely prior to starting preparation.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in corn kernels. Cook corn for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. You want the kernels to develop brown, or even a few blackened, charred spots on them. Remove from heat and place corn in a large bowl.
Add finely chopped red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and chiptole peppers. Stir in white wine vinegar, salt, chopped chicken, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
In a small bowl, toss diced avocado with lime juice. Gently fold into chicken salad mixture.
Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: This sponsorship is brought to you by Recipes from Avocados From Mexico who we have partnered with for this promotion.
This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesday hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Just Something I Whipped Up hosted by The Girl Creative.
I have recently discovered that I love avocados. I mean, really love them. And I am soooo enjoying experimenting with them. ... like with my Baked Eggvocado and Guacamole Grilled Cheese. I've got an Avocado Egg Salad in the works, too ... I know, I know, it sounds weird ... but trust me, it's delicious! And now, ... this Roasted Corn & Avocado Chicken Salad.
How about you? Do you like avocados?
Well, if you are an avocado fan, then I think you'll love the new Avocados From Mexico recipe website Recipes from Avocado Lovers. I'm happy to be partnering with Avocados from Mexico to get the word out about their new site. (And my avocado recipes are included there!)
The folks at Avocados From Mexico have just launched this new recipes section on their site to give foodies who love avocados the opportunity to upload their favorite avocado recipes and discover other avocado fan favorites. Be sure to check them out!
When I learned I was going to have the opportunity for this partnership, I set about working on developing this chicken salad original recipe. I knew I wanted to do an avocado chicken salad, but I hadn't decided much direction beyond that. Then, a roasted corn & mango salsa I make all the time came to mind. Hmmmm, I thought ... what about a roasted corn & avocado chicken salad?? It could work...
... And it did work!! It's actually even better than I expected! Hubby loved it, too.
Now, due to a little grocery shopping mishap on my part, this chicken salad contains a little twist-of-an-ingredient that isn't typically found in chicken salad. It's happened to all of us ... you go grocery shopping and you think you have all your 'basics' on hand at home, right? So you don't even think about purchasing them? But then you get home, go to make a dish, reach for one of those basics, and ... Oh, no! ... find there's none of it to be found in your house? Anywhere??? Oh, yes, I just love it when that happens.
But my mishap turned out to be a very happy accident, because the mishap-replacement ingredient lends a really great flavor to the salad. Don't you love when mistakes turn out all happy like that? Stay tuned to learn what that mystery mishap ingredient is!!
Start this dish by roasting some corn kernels ... fresh or frozen ... in a skillet with a little garlic. Here's how the kernels start out ... all bright yellow.
Keep 'em going in the skillet until they get charred spots all over them, kind of like this:
(I actually could have let these kernels go a bit longer ... it's great for them to even get some black spots on them instead of just dark brown.)
Roasting the corn brings out it's natural sweetness even more, and gives it a tiny hint of a smokey flavor with its sweetness.
Mix up the roasted corn with finely chopped red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and chipotle peppers ...
... and then some chopped cooked chicken.
Next, give it some creaminess with sour cream and a teeny tiny bit of mayo. And yes, you just found the happy-accident, mishap-replacement ingredient ... sour cream! When I reached for my mayo jar, it just had teeny tiny bits of mayo left ... you know, clinging to the very bottom and sides of the jar. So I scraped out what I could and grabbed a partially-used container of sour cream from the frig to make up for the mayo I was lacking.
Okay, to be 100% honest, my plan was to mix the sour cream into just part of the chicken salad so I could stage the photo shoot for this dish. Then, I was going to run to the store and get more mayo so I could finish making the salad (and confirm that my amounts for the recipe were okay).
But when I tasted the sour cream-and-mayo-together version, I loved it! So much so that that's the way I'm writing the recipe.
Last, but certainly not least, toss diced avocado together with fresh lime juice and gently fold it into the chicken mixture. Serve the chicken salad up on a bed of lettuce, as a sandwich, or with a side of chips and dig on in.
So, love avocados? Click the banner below to check out some wonderful ways to enjoy them.
Got some fabulous avocado recipes? Upload your recipes so others (like me!) can enjoy them, too!
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Roasted Corn & Avocado Chicken Salad
Source: A Tracey original
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels (a 12 oz. package of frozen corn equals 2 c.)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
1/3 c. chopped cilantro
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
2 T. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 chicken breasts, cooked and finely chopped
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
2 medium avocados, diced
1/3 c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
If using frozen corn, thaw corn completely prior to starting preparation.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in corn kernels. Cook corn for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. You want the kernels to develop brown, or even a few blackened, charred spots on them. Remove from heat and place corn in a large bowl.
Add finely chopped red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, and chiptole peppers. Stir in white wine vinegar, salt, chopped chicken, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
In a small bowl, toss diced avocado with lime juice. Gently fold into chicken salad mixture.
Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: This sponsorship is brought to you by Recipes from Avocados From Mexico who we have partnered with for this promotion.
This post is linked with Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Totally Tasty Tuesday hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Just Something I Whipped Up hosted by The Girl Creative.
Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
To contact us Click HERE
On February 1st, I posted about fabulous Mocha Swirl Cookies made with instant coffee granules stirred into the batter to give the coffee flavor. It was an amazingly easy technique to get the wonderful coffee flavor ... and I told you all in that post - "Now stay tuned ... because this method gave me an idea that I just have to try. It's coming soon!"
Okay, so almost six months later may not exactly be "soon." But ... I did finally give my idea a try! With success, I might add. And so these Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies were born!
After making the Mocha Swirl Cookies, I wondered if the same instant-coffee-granules-technique would work to transform regular chocolate chip cookies into coffee chocolate chip cookies.
Well, yes, ... yes, it does.
I tried several different amounts of coffee granules. With 1 tablespoon, you get a nice subtle coffee flavor that was just right for me. One of myofficial-unofficial taste-testers friends described eating one of these cookies as being kind of like eating a chocolate covered coffee bean ... first, you taste chocolate ... and then you get a delicious subtle hit of coffee on the backend.
If you want a stronger coffee taste, add a little bit more coffee granules.
To prep the coffee granules for the batter, I smooshed them into a powder. I didn't want to bite down into a big ol' hunk of a coffee granule ... like this:
See how big those granules are? So I put them in a zip-top baggie and smooshed them with a meat mallet. Ahhhhhhh, much better.
Mix the coffee in when you mix in the chocolate chips, and then bake 'em up just like you would regular chocolate chip cookies.
Then enjoy a big ol' stack with a glass a milk. Unless you like your coffee black, that is!
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Adapted from Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies & inspired by Sprinkle Bakes' Mocha Swirl Cookies
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 to 1 1/2 T. instant coffee granules*
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Place instant coffee granules in a small zip-top plastic bag. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a drinking glass, gently crush granules into a powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in coffee granule powder, and then stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
(For soft cookies, the cookies should still look a bit uncooked in the middle when you take them out of the oven.) Let cookies stand on the pan for about a minute before removing to a cooling rack.
*I use 1 T. instant coffee granules for a there-but-subtle coffee flavor.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Weekend Wrap Party hosted by Tatertots & Jello, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Just Something I Whipped Up hosted by The Girl Creative, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack.
On February 1st, I posted about fabulous Mocha Swirl Cookies made with instant coffee granules stirred into the batter to give the coffee flavor. It was an amazingly easy technique to get the wonderful coffee flavor ... and I told you all in that post - "Now stay tuned ... because this method gave me an idea that I just have to try. It's coming soon!"
Okay, so almost six months later may not exactly be "soon." But ... I did finally give my idea a try! With success, I might add. And so these Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies were born!
After making the Mocha Swirl Cookies, I wondered if the same instant-coffee-granules-technique would work to transform regular chocolate chip cookies into coffee chocolate chip cookies.
Well, yes, ... yes, it does.
I tried several different amounts of coffee granules. With 1 tablespoon, you get a nice subtle coffee flavor that was just right for me. One of my
If you want a stronger coffee taste, add a little bit more coffee granules.
To prep the coffee granules for the batter, I smooshed them into a powder. I didn't want to bite down into a big ol' hunk of a coffee granule ... like this:
See how big those granules are? So I put them in a zip-top baggie and smooshed them with a meat mallet. Ahhhhhhh, much better.
Mix the coffee in when you mix in the chocolate chips, and then bake 'em up just like you would regular chocolate chip cookies.
Then enjoy a big ol' stack with a glass a milk. Unless you like your coffee black, that is!
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Adapted from Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies & inspired by Sprinkle Bakes' Mocha Swirl Cookies
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. butter, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 (12 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 to 1 1/2 T. instant coffee granules*
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
Place instant coffee granules in a small zip-top plastic bag. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a drinking glass, gently crush granules into a powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in coffee granule powder, and then stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
(For soft cookies, the cookies should still look a bit uncooked in the middle when you take them out of the oven.) Let cookies stand on the pan for about a minute before removing to a cooling rack.
*I use 1 T. instant coffee granules for a there-but-subtle coffee flavor.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Weekend Wrap Party hosted by Tatertots & Jello, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Just Something I Whipped Up hosted by The Girl Creative, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Whatcha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack.
Eating the Alphabet ... Catching up! {Letters A through H}
To contact us Click HERE
I recently joined the Eating the Alphabet! challenge series, hosted each month by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. The idea is to choose a recipe featuring a fruit, vegetable, grain, or bean from a different set of alphabet letters each month. Since I'm joining the series a bit late (starting at letters I & J with my Baked Jalapeno Poppers), I decided to do a little 'Catching Up' post. So ... here are some of my favorite archive posts for the letters I missed.
A - Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad
I just love this pasta salad, and so does my husband! It was actually at his request that I created it. Since there's no mayo, it's perfect for a summer picnic.
I had a really hard time picking my favorite post for the letter A, so here are a couple of other favorites ...
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares - Two words: Oh. My.
Apple-Currant Bread - One of my childhood favorites. (And I still love it today!)
B - Blueberry-Lime Iced Tea
Love, love, love this twist on traditional iced tea!
(Blueberry Salsa is another out-of-the-ordinary blueberry yummy one for the letter B!)
C - Hot Corn Dip
Mmmmmmmmmmm. So good with pita chips or Frito Scoops.
(Though, this Corn Pudding is really good, too! Tough choice ... tough choice.)
D - Chai Granola with Chopped Dates
We eat a lot of homemade granola at our house. This chai version with chopped dates is my favorite, by far.
E - Carolina Caviar with Black-Eyed Peas
I know ... it's a stretch ... but it's the best I could do for E from my archives.
F - I got nothin'.
G - Shrimp & Grits Casserole
This casserole is pretty much a staple dish at our house.
(or Ham & Cheese Grits Casserole, if you'd prefer.)
H - Baked Eggvocado with Hass Avocado
Surprisingly delicious!
There! I'm all caught up! I'll be back with the next Eating the Alphabet! challenge series installment on July 15th. Next up ... letters K and L. Hmmmmm ... I'm thinking, I'm thinking...
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
I recently joined the Eating the Alphabet! challenge series, hosted each month by Brenda of Meal Planning Magic. The idea is to choose a recipe featuring a fruit, vegetable, grain, or bean from a different set of alphabet letters each month. Since I'm joining the series a bit late (starting at letters I & J with my Baked Jalapeno Poppers), I decided to do a little 'Catching Up' post. So ... here are some of my favorite archive posts for the letters I missed.A - Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, & Fresh Basil Pasta Salad
I just love this pasta salad, and so does my husband! It was actually at his request that I created it. Since there's no mayo, it's perfect for a summer picnic.
I had a really hard time picking my favorite post for the letter A, so here are a couple of other favorites ...
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Squares - Two words: Oh. My.
Apple-Currant Bread - One of my childhood favorites. (And I still love it today!)
B - Blueberry-Lime Iced Tea
Love, love, love this twist on traditional iced tea!
(Blueberry Salsa is another out-of-the-ordinary blueberry yummy one for the letter B!)C - Hot Corn Dip
Mmmmmmmmmmm. So good with pita chips or Frito Scoops.
(Though, this Corn Pudding is really good, too! Tough choice ... tough choice.)
D - Chai Granola with Chopped Dates
We eat a lot of homemade granola at our house. This chai version with chopped dates is my favorite, by far.
E - Carolina Caviar with Black-Eyed Peas
I know ... it's a stretch ... but it's the best I could do for E from my archives.
F - I got nothin'.
G - Shrimp & Grits Casserole
This casserole is pretty much a staple dish at our house.
(or Ham & Cheese Grits Casserole, if you'd prefer.)H - Baked Eggvocado with Hass Avocado
Surprisingly delicious!
There! I'm all caught up! I'll be back with the next Eating the Alphabet! challenge series installment on July 15th. Next up ... letters K and L. Hmmmmm ... I'm thinking, I'm thinking...
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Roasted Tomatoes ... for salads, sandwiches, & sauces
To contact us Click HERE
The day before yesterday, I had lunch with one of my friends at my favorite little local deli. Aaahhhh, summer ... I love that it gives me the opportunity to lunch with friends! And I love that it gives me the opportunity to frequent my favorite little deli. I would go every day if I could, I swear. Their salads and sandwiches are soooo yummy, with not-your-ordinary ingredients and flavor combinations. Not that there's anything wrong with a regular ol' turkey sandwich with some lettuce and tomatoes on it ... but, oh how I love things to be a bit more zippy than that.
One of my favorite not-so-ordinary ingredients at the deli? Roasted tomatoes! In their sandwiches ... on their salads ... in their wraps... Not just sliced fresh tomatoes. Seasoned and roasted fresh tomatoes. Little hunks of tomato heaven, if you ask me.
So, can you guess what I got for lunch?
Uh-huh ... something with roasted tomatoes! A big ol' Mediterranean salad with big ol' hunks of delicious roasted tomatoes, to be exact.
One day when I was at said little deli, they just happened to be preparing several huge pans of tomatoes for roasting. So I watched. (Of course I did!) And I thought ... hey, I can do that!
And I did.
Now I can prepare my own little hunks of tomato heaven. And here's all you do ...
Cut some fresh tomatoes into thick slices and/or pretty sizeable hunks, like this:
As you can see, I wasn't real precise about my cutting. Some are in thick slices, some are in hunks ... quarters for medium-to-small tomatoes and eigths for larger tomatoes. I don't bother to totally seed the tomatoes, but if you happen to run across a large pool of seeds, it's best to take them out. I just flick 'em out with the tip of my knife.
Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and then season with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, fresh garlic, and some basil and oregano.
Lay the tomatoes out in a single layer on a foil-lined pan and ...
... roast them in the oven for about 45 minutes.
And, voila! ... easy home-roasted tomatoes for your sandwiches, salads, or wraps.
Or, just use them to whip up a quick sauce for pasta. This is one I whipped up on the fly one evening after roasting some tomatoes. I sauteed a little garlic in olive oil, then tossed in some roasted tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers. Next, I poured in a bit of white wine and let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious! And so simple.
So, go ahead. Roast up some of those oodles of tomatoes you've got coming out of your garden and see what wonderful things you can whip up with them. I'd love to hear what you come up with!
But don't worry favorite little deli ... just because I can whip these up at home doesn't mean I'll come see you any less.
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Roasted TomatoesSource: Inspired by H&M Deli, Cramerton, NC
Please note, this is more of a method than a specific recipe. Amounts are not specific, and vary with the amount of tomatoes and to personal taste.
Tomatoes, thickly sliced or cut in hunks (or, halved grape or cherry tomatoes)Extra virgin olive oilSea saltFreshly ground black pepperDried basilDried oreganoFresh garlic, minced
Place cut tomatoes in a bowl; toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, black pepper, basil, and oregano. Toss to coat. Add minced garlic; toss to coat.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Lay tomatoes in a single layer on baking sheet. Do not crowd the pan.
Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 to 60 minutes. (Mine are usually done pretty close to the 45 minute mark, but some tomatoes could take a bit longer.)
Use in sandwiches, salads, wraps, and sauces.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Tutorial Tips & Tidbits hosted by Stone Gable, Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Strut Your Stuff hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Weekend Wrap Up Party hosted by Tatertots & Jello, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things, Sunday Showcase Party hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef In Training, Whacha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations.
The day before yesterday, I had lunch with one of my friends at my favorite little local deli. Aaahhhh, summer ... I love that it gives me the opportunity to lunch with friends! And I love that it gives me the opportunity to frequent my favorite little deli. I would go every day if I could, I swear. Their salads and sandwiches are soooo yummy, with not-your-ordinary ingredients and flavor combinations. Not that there's anything wrong with a regular ol' turkey sandwich with some lettuce and tomatoes on it ... but, oh how I love things to be a bit more zippy than that.
One of my favorite not-so-ordinary ingredients at the deli? Roasted tomatoes! In their sandwiches ... on their salads ... in their wraps... Not just sliced fresh tomatoes. Seasoned and roasted fresh tomatoes. Little hunks of tomato heaven, if you ask me.
So, can you guess what I got for lunch?
Uh-huh ... something with roasted tomatoes! A big ol' Mediterranean salad with big ol' hunks of delicious roasted tomatoes, to be exact.
One day when I was at said little deli, they just happened to be preparing several huge pans of tomatoes for roasting. So I watched. (Of course I did!) And I thought ... hey, I can do that!
And I did.
Now I can prepare my own little hunks of tomato heaven. And here's all you do ...
Cut some fresh tomatoes into thick slices and/or pretty sizeable hunks, like this:
As you can see, I wasn't real precise about my cutting. Some are in thick slices, some are in hunks ... quarters for medium-to-small tomatoes and eigths for larger tomatoes. I don't bother to totally seed the tomatoes, but if you happen to run across a large pool of seeds, it's best to take them out. I just flick 'em out with the tip of my knife.
Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and then season with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, fresh garlic, and some basil and oregano.
Lay the tomatoes out in a single layer on a foil-lined pan and ...
... roast them in the oven for about 45 minutes.
And, voila! ... easy home-roasted tomatoes for your sandwiches, salads, or wraps.
Or, just use them to whip up a quick sauce for pasta. This is one I whipped up on the fly one evening after roasting some tomatoes. I sauteed a little garlic in olive oil, then tossed in some roasted tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers. Next, I poured in a bit of white wine and let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes. Oh. My. Goodness. It was delicious! And so simple.
So, go ahead. Roast up some of those oodles of tomatoes you've got coming out of your garden and see what wonderful things you can whip up with them. I'd love to hear what you come up with!
But don't worry favorite little deli ... just because I can whip these up at home doesn't mean I'll come see you any less.
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Roasted TomatoesSource: Inspired by H&M Deli, Cramerton, NC
Please note, this is more of a method than a specific recipe. Amounts are not specific, and vary with the amount of tomatoes and to personal taste.
Tomatoes, thickly sliced or cut in hunks (or, halved grape or cherry tomatoes)Extra virgin olive oilSea saltFreshly ground black pepperDried basilDried oreganoFresh garlic, minced
Place cut tomatoes in a bowl; toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt, black pepper, basil, and oregano. Toss to coat. Add minced garlic; toss to coat.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Lay tomatoes in a single layer on baking sheet. Do not crowd the pan.
Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 45 to 60 minutes. (Mine are usually done pretty close to the 45 minute mark, but some tomatoes could take a bit longer.)
Use in sandwiches, salads, wraps, and sauces.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Tutorial Tips & Tidbits hosted by Stone Gable, Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Weekend Bloggy Reading hosted by Serenity Now, Foodie Friday hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Strut Your Stuff hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Weekend Wrap Up Party hosted by Tatertots & Jello, Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things, Sunday Showcase Party hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef In Training, Whacha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Share Your Creations hosted by Kristen's Creations.
Awww, Shucks - I'm Blushing ... Blog Awards
To contact us Click HERE
Yesterday, Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack gave me the Sunshine Award ... thanks sooooo much, Dawn! I'm truly, truly touched!!
Along with the joy of receiving this award came some guilt, though. So, I have a confession to make. I've received awards in the past, too, and ... while I've acknowledged the giver ... I haven't passed any awards along, which is the truly super fun part of receiving one of the blog awards, right?!? So I decided I would rectify that today, and do one big "I'm catching up on awards" post. Thanks to Dawn for pushing me along to clear my conscience! :-)
Now, I'm not going to exactly follow all the blog award rules ... I've always been a bit of a rule-bender like that ... not a get-in-all-kinds-of-trouble rule-breaker, mind you ... but a bender, YES. I've listed the rules of each award ... ya know, so others can follow them ... but I'm going to just stick to the spirit of the rules (which is recognizing awesome and inspiring blogs, right?). Shhhhhhh!! ... don't tell the award police. Okay?
Sunshine Award
The Sunshine Award is an award passed on by bloggers to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” Thank you so much to Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack for passing this award along to me! I'm truly touched to be considered a positive and creative inspiration to others!
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Pass on to 10 favorite bloggers & leave them a comment letting them know
Sunshine Award questions and my answers:
1. Favorite color: It depends on what we're talking about! For clothes - black. There's about an 85% chance on any given day that I'm wearing black. For house walls - neutral white or beige. I mean, seriously, that way you change up your furnishings and decorations without having to repaint! (Can you tell I'm a practical girl??) For 'just fun' - probably red or bright yellow ... they're happy colors.
2. Favorite animal: Monkeys ... they're fun. And I fed one out of my hand in Costa Rica. And giraffes ... they're pretty. I fed one out of my mouth not long ago. (I'm noticing a trend here...)
(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)
3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.
Versatile Blogger Award Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who awarded you and link back to them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself (see Sunshine Award answers above, or I share a whoooooole lot more about myself on my About page.)
3. Pass the award along to 10 other newly discovered blogs.
Liebster Blog AwardThanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.
Anita shared that in German "Liebster" means "dear" and the verb "Lieber" is "to love," and that the purpose of this award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. To echo Anita's sentiment about receiving this award, it certainly does make one feel "dearly loved" to receive this award.
Now, I do indeed have more than 200 followers ... but I assure you that these two fine ladies didn't break any rules when giving me this award! Remember my confession at the start of the post??? ... uh, yeh ... I was given this award a loooooooooong time ago ... back when this blog met the followers requirement.Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award
Now for the super-fun part!!!!
I hereby bestow these blog award honors upon the following fabulously-fantastic and inspiring bloggers, who ... though they may not know it ... encourage and inspire me every day.
Thanks for being awesome, my bloggy friends!
1. Nicole at Heat Oven to 350
Nicole is hysterically funny - her posts will keep you in stitches! She was the first non-family-person to leave a comment on my blog and is a fellow native Vermonter, so she has a special place in my blog-heart. Nicole just welcomed her daughter into the world, so she's a little quiet on the blog scene right now, but there are lots of fabulous posts in her archives that will keep you rolling!
2. Dorothy at Crazy for Crust
Oh my, Dorothy is another hysterically funny one. And she shares fabulously delicious sweets that keep me drooling at my computer screen.
3. Lisa at Shine Your Light
Lisa is so immensely kind-hearted and encouraging. I'm always uplifted by her posts and comments!
4. Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Anita and I began our blogs right around the same time. She's another immensely kind-hearted blogger who makes you want to ask if she'll be your Aunt Nubby, too!
5. Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Lisa is indeed as sweet as a sugar cookie. Lisa welcomed me into the bloggy community and invited me to participate in my first linky party!
6. Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tina is the hostess-with-the-mostest of one of the monthly challenges in which I participate, The Crazy Cooking Challenge. Tina works soooo hard to pull this challenge together each month. Thank you, Tina!!
7. Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is incredibly talented and awes me every time with her home projects. Her creations are so beautiful!
8. Jill at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons
Jill is sooooo immensely creative with her kitchen projects! Seriously, I'm amazed at what she comes up with every time she posts.
9. Dawn at Addicted to Recipes
Aahhhhh, Dawn .... we share the same addiction. Need I say more?
10. Heather & Vanessa at At the Picket Fence
Heather and Vanessa truly 'speak' from the heart, and are so kind and encouraging. I'm always inspired by their wonderful comments!
If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.
Along with the joy of receiving this award came some guilt, though. So, I have a confession to make. I've received awards in the past, too, and ... while I've acknowledged the giver ... I haven't passed any awards along, which is the truly super fun part of receiving one of the blog awards, right?!? So I decided I would rectify that today, and do one big "I'm catching up on awards" post. Thanks to Dawn for pushing me along to clear my conscience! :-)
Now, I'm not going to exactly follow all the blog award rules ... I've always been a bit of a rule-bender like that ... not a get-in-all-kinds-of-trouble rule-breaker, mind you ... but a bender, YES. I've listed the rules of each award ... ya know, so others can follow them ... but I'm going to just stick to the spirit of the rules (which is recognizing awesome and inspiring blogs, right?). Shhhhhhh!! ... don't tell the award police. Okay?
Sunshine Award
The Sunshine Award is an award passed on by bloggers to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” Thank you so much to Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack for passing this award along to me! I'm truly touched to be considered a positive and creative inspiration to others!
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Pass on to 10 favorite bloggers & leave them a comment letting them know
Sunshine Award questions and my answers:
1. Favorite color: It depends on what we're talking about! For clothes - black. There's about an 85% chance on any given day that I'm wearing black. For house walls - neutral white or beige. I mean, seriously, that way you change up your furnishings and decorations without having to repaint! (Can you tell I'm a practical girl??) For 'just fun' - probably red or bright yellow ... they're happy colors.
2. Favorite animal: Monkeys ... they're fun. And I fed one out of my hand in Costa Rica. And giraffes ... they're pretty. I fed one out of my mouth not long ago. (I'm noticing a trend here...)
(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)
3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.
Versatile Blogger Award Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who awarded you and link back to them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself (see Sunshine Award answers above, or I share a whoooooole lot more about myself on my About page.)
3. Pass the award along to 10 other newly discovered blogs.
Liebster Blog AwardThanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.
Anita shared that in German "Liebster" means "dear" and the verb "Lieber" is "to love," and that the purpose of this award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. To echo Anita's sentiment about receiving this award, it certainly does make one feel "dearly loved" to receive this award.
Now, I do indeed have more than 200 followers ... but I assure you that these two fine ladies didn't break any rules when giving me this award! Remember my confession at the start of the post??? ... uh, yeh ... I was given this award a loooooooooong time ago ... back when this blog met the followers requirement.Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award
Now for the super-fun part!!!!
I hereby bestow these blog award honors upon the following fabulously-fantastic and inspiring bloggers, who ... though they may not know it ... encourage and inspire me every day.
Thanks for being awesome, my bloggy friends!
1. Nicole at Heat Oven to 350
Nicole is hysterically funny - her posts will keep you in stitches! She was the first non-family-person to leave a comment on my blog and is a fellow native Vermonter, so she has a special place in my blog-heart. Nicole just welcomed her daughter into the world, so she's a little quiet on the blog scene right now, but there are lots of fabulous posts in her archives that will keep you rolling!
2. Dorothy at Crazy for Crust
Oh my, Dorothy is another hysterically funny one. And she shares fabulously delicious sweets that keep me drooling at my computer screen.
3. Lisa at Shine Your Light
Lisa is so immensely kind-hearted and encouraging. I'm always uplifted by her posts and comments!
4. Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Anita and I began our blogs right around the same time. She's another immensely kind-hearted blogger who makes you want to ask if she'll be your Aunt Nubby, too!
5. Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Lisa is indeed as sweet as a sugar cookie. Lisa welcomed me into the bloggy community and invited me to participate in my first linky party!
6. Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tina is the hostess-with-the-mostest of one of the monthly challenges in which I participate, The Crazy Cooking Challenge. Tina works soooo hard to pull this challenge together each month. Thank you, Tina!!
7. Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is incredibly talented and awes me every time with her home projects. Her creations are so beautiful!
8. Jill at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons
Jill is sooooo immensely creative with her kitchen projects! Seriously, I'm amazed at what she comes up with every time she posts.
9. Dawn at Addicted to Recipes
Aahhhhh, Dawn .... we share the same addiction. Need I say more?
10. Heather & Vanessa at At the Picket Fence
Heather and Vanessa truly 'speak' from the heart, and are so kind and encouraging. I'm always inspired by their wonderful comments!
If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
To contact us Click HERE
The holiday season completely sneaked up on me out of nowhere, and I find myself utterly unprepared. Is it just me, or has Christmas come faster than usual this year? A week from Christmas and I have not decorated, put up a tree, or braved an over-crowded shopping mall. And I definitely have not been cranking out the Christmas cookies.
That said, I made sure I carved out some time this weekend to make these Soft Gingerbread Cookies. This is a recipe a family friend has used for decades. Every year, she would use it to make my younger brother the cutest advent calendar. She would wrap 24 of these cookies in plastic and attach them to a ribbon. My brother would then snack his way down to Christmas! These cookies stay remarkably soft day after day, so you can make these quite a bit in advance of when you'd need them. The spices in these are just right, and they have the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm sure Santa wouldn't mind gobbling a few up!
SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Cream together the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the molasses. In small batches, mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl between each batch. Refrigerate dough for about an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment, leaving plenty of room between them. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass into flour and shake off the excess. Press the drinking glass onto each dough ball to flatten them.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday
The holiday season completely sneaked up on me out of nowhere, and I find myself utterly unprepared. Is it just me, or has Christmas come faster than usual this year? A week from Christmas and I have not decorated, put up a tree, or braved an over-crowded shopping mall. And I definitely have not been cranking out the Christmas cookies.
That said, I made sure I carved out some time this weekend to make these Soft Gingerbread Cookies. This is a recipe a family friend has used for decades. Every year, she would use it to make my younger brother the cutest advent calendar. She would wrap 24 of these cookies in plastic and attach them to a ribbon. My brother would then snack his way down to Christmas! These cookies stay remarkably soft day after day, so you can make these quite a bit in advance of when you'd need them. The spices in these are just right, and they have the perfect amount of sweetness. I'm sure Santa wouldn't mind gobbling a few up!
SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
2. Cream together the shortening and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the molasses. In small batches, mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the bowl between each batch. Refrigerate dough for about an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on parchment, leaving plenty of room between them. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass into flour and shake off the excess. Press the drinking glass onto each dough ball to flatten them.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Stollen
To contact us Click HERE
In my family, stollen is a Christmas tradition. Every year, I would wake up the morning before Christmas to find my Dad pacing around the kitchen and peaking into the oven, yelling at the bread to hurry up and rise already. Every year. Ah, tradition.
Stollen is a century's old German fruit cake. The shape, an oval folded over, is meant to look like a swaddled baby Jesus. The German city of Dresden has laid claim to producing the one true "authentic" stollen, to the point of it's production being regulated. However, seeing as this is Pennsylvania, and not Dresden, I decided to use this stollen recipe I found on the internet instead. I don't know how authentic it is, but it's very tasty. My Dad has used probably a dozen different stollen recipes over the years, and I think this is the best one I've tasted. And in his experience, it's the one that gives him the best results and rises the quickest.
This stollen begins with a sponge which you then use to build the dough. Think of the sponge as a sort of "pre-dough" that you let rise a little before adding all the remaining ingredients. Stollen does seem to take a bit more time to rise than other bread doughs (Dad, I now feel your pain), but it's well worth it in the end. This bread has a cinnamon-sugar filling that I feel is optional. Before serving, be sure to sift on a thick layer of powdered sugar. Justify it as being snow, or something. But, of course, the best part of this bread is enjoying it on Christmas morning and sharing it with family and friends. :)
STOLLEN
for the fruit mixture:
1 c mixed candied fruit
1 c raisins
3 tbsp rum
for the sponge:
1 .25oz package yeast
1/4 c warm water (about 110 degrees)
2/3 c milk
1 tsp honey
1 c flour (the original recipe calls for all-purpose, but I used bread)
for the dough:
1/3 c honey
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into chunks
1 tbsp lemon zest (I zested one lemon and called it a day)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c slivered or chopped almonds
3-4 c flour
for the filling (optional):
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp sugar
1. In a bowl, mix together the candied fruit and the raisins. Toss with the rum. Cover with plastic wrap and occasionally shake to coat the fruit with the rum.
2. Pour the warm water into the bowl for a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Heat the milk to 110 degrees (I do this by zapping it for a few seconds in the microwave). Pour the milk into the bowl. Add in the honey and 1 cup flour. Stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Let sponge rise for about 30 minutes. It should puff up and appear full of bubbles.
3. To the sponge, add the fruit mixture, 1/3 cup honey, butter, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour. Using the paddle attachment for the stand mixture, mix on a medium low speed for about 2 minutes. It'll look more like a cookie dough than a bread dough at this point. In 1/4 cup intervals, add the remaining flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook. On low speed, use the dough hook to continue mixing together the dough, adding flour by the tablespoon until dough cleans the bowl. Once dough cleans the bowl, it has enough flour. Use the dough hook to knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Spray a large bowl with some non-stick cooking spray, or coat with vegetable oil. Place the dough ball in the bowl, and flip over so oil coats both sides. Cover bowl and place someplace warm. Let dough rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
5. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a clean counter top. Remove dough ball from bowl and place on the paper. Roll dough into a 9 x 13 inch oval. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the oval's surface. Mix together the cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle over the melted butter. Fold the dough in half lengthwise (the parchment paper really helps this step). Transfer the stollen, still on the paper, to a baking sheet. Cut any excess paper that doesn't fit the baking sheet. Cover the stollen with a dry, clean towel. Place somewhere warm and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. To serve, sift powdered sugar over top.
Source: Food Network
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday
In my family, stollen is a Christmas tradition. Every year, I would wake up the morning before Christmas to find my Dad pacing around the kitchen and peaking into the oven, yelling at the bread to hurry up and rise already. Every year. Ah, tradition.
Stollen is a century's old German fruit cake. The shape, an oval folded over, is meant to look like a swaddled baby Jesus. The German city of Dresden has laid claim to producing the one true "authentic" stollen, to the point of it's production being regulated. However, seeing as this is Pennsylvania, and not Dresden, I decided to use this stollen recipe I found on the internet instead. I don't know how authentic it is, but it's very tasty. My Dad has used probably a dozen different stollen recipes over the years, and I think this is the best one I've tasted. And in his experience, it's the one that gives him the best results and rises the quickest.
This stollen begins with a sponge which you then use to build the dough. Think of the sponge as a sort of "pre-dough" that you let rise a little before adding all the remaining ingredients. Stollen does seem to take a bit more time to rise than other bread doughs (Dad, I now feel your pain), but it's well worth it in the end. This bread has a cinnamon-sugar filling that I feel is optional. Before serving, be sure to sift on a thick layer of powdered sugar. Justify it as being snow, or something. But, of course, the best part of this bread is enjoying it on Christmas morning and sharing it with family and friends. :)
STOLLEN
for the fruit mixture:
1 c mixed candied fruit
1 c raisins
3 tbsp rum
for the sponge:
1 .25oz package yeast
1/4 c warm water (about 110 degrees)
2/3 c milk
1 tsp honey
1 c flour (the original recipe calls for all-purpose, but I used bread)
for the dough:
1/3 c honey
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into chunks
1 tbsp lemon zest (I zested one lemon and called it a day)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c slivered or chopped almonds
3-4 c flour
for the filling (optional):
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp sugar
1. In a bowl, mix together the candied fruit and the raisins. Toss with the rum. Cover with plastic wrap and occasionally shake to coat the fruit with the rum.
2. Pour the warm water into the bowl for a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top. Heat the milk to 110 degrees (I do this by zapping it for a few seconds in the microwave). Pour the milk into the bowl. Add in the honey and 1 cup flour. Stir to combine. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Let sponge rise for about 30 minutes. It should puff up and appear full of bubbles.
3. To the sponge, add the fruit mixture, 1/3 cup honey, butter, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 cups of the flour. Using the paddle attachment for the stand mixture, mix on a medium low speed for about 2 minutes. It'll look more like a cookie dough than a bread dough at this point. In 1/4 cup intervals, add the remaining flour until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook. On low speed, use the dough hook to continue mixing together the dough, adding flour by the tablespoon until dough cleans the bowl. Once dough cleans the bowl, it has enough flour. Use the dough hook to knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Spray a large bowl with some non-stick cooking spray, or coat with vegetable oil. Place the dough ball in the bowl, and flip over so oil coats both sides. Cover bowl and place someplace warm. Let dough rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
5. Lay a piece of parchment paper on a clean counter top. Remove dough ball from bowl and place on the paper. Roll dough into a 9 x 13 inch oval. Using a pastry brush, spread the melted butter over the oval's surface. Mix together the cinnamon and 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle over the melted butter. Fold the dough in half lengthwise (the parchment paper really helps this step). Transfer the stollen, still on the paper, to a baking sheet. Cut any excess paper that doesn't fit the baking sheet. Cover the stollen with a dry, clean towel. Place somewhere warm and allow to rise again for about 45 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. To serve, sift powdered sugar over top.
Source: Food Network
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Pretzel M&Ms Blondies
To contact us Click HERE
I love any recipe that gives me an excuse to buy candy. In this case, I had anexcuse compelling reason for the purposes of research to try out pretzel m&ms. Pretzel m&ms have been around for a few years now, but I've stayed pretty loyal to my old favorite, peanut butter. But I'm glad I gave these a chance, because I really enjoyed how they worked inside the blondies. I love the combination of salty and sweet. I also appreciate that this recipe comes together fairly quickly and easily.
PRETZEL M&M BLONDIES
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
1 c light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c (or more) pretzel m&ms
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil.
2. Beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt. Gradually add in the flour. Stir in the m&ms.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for a bit. Pull out foil and then let cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.
Source: Bake at 350
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday
I love any recipe that gives me an excuse to buy candy. In this case, I had an
PRETZEL M&M BLONDIES
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
1 c light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c (or more) pretzel m&ms
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with foil.
2. Beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the salt. Gradually add in the flour. Stir in the m&ms.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for a bit. Pull out foil and then let cool completely. Cut into 16 squares.
Source: Bake at 350
This recipe is shared with Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Craft-O-Maniac, Made by You Monday, Tuesday Talent Show, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, This Chick Cooks, Full Plate Thursday, It's a Keeper, Foodie Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Sweets for a Saturday
Merry Christmas!
To contact us Click HERE
This picture would have been cuter if Sundae would have agreed to wear the Santa hat I bought for her.
Christmas means many things to many people, but to me it means I'm done my holiday baking. Here's what I made for this year:
Oatmeal Cream Pies for my Grandpa
Lemon Crinkle Cookies for my Dad
New York Crumb Cake for my husband's Grandmom
Lighter Taco Dip for Christmas day appetizers
Easiest Ever Fudge because no holiday is complete without chocolatey snacks
Old Fashioned Dinner Rolls as requested by my aunt
Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies for my father in law
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls for my in laws
And in my infinite wisdom, I decided to produce all this the day before Christmas, knowing we had to wake up super early the next day for an almost 3 hour drive to New Jersey. Planning is not my strong suit.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with great times, and great treats!
This picture would have been cuter if Sundae would have agreed to wear the Santa hat I bought for her.
Christmas means many things to many people, but to me it means I'm done my holiday baking. Here's what I made for this year:
Oatmeal Cream Pies for my Grandpa
Lemon Crinkle Cookies for my Dad
New York Crumb Cake for my husband's Grandmom
Lighter Taco Dip for Christmas day appetizers
Easiest Ever Fudge because no holiday is complete without chocolatey snacks
Old Fashioned Dinner Rolls as requested by my aunt
Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies for my father in law
No Yeast Cinnamon Rolls for my in laws
And in my infinite wisdom, I decided to produce all this the day before Christmas, knowing we had to wake up super early the next day for an almost 3 hour drive to New Jersey. Planning is not my strong suit.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with great times, and great treats!
12 in '12
To contact us Click HERE
This year, I'm joining a host of fellow food bloggers in coming up with my 12 in '12 list-- the 12 dishes I most want to make in the next 12 months. Some of these are just a general idea, and some are specific to one particular recipe I've been dying to try.
1. Sourdough Bread
2. Nutella Swirl Bread
3. Hot Cross Buns
4. Tamales
5. Buffalo Chicken Dip
6. Ribs
7. Cherry Pie
8. Gelato
9. Jalapeno Mac & Cheese
10. Rum Cake
11. New York Cheesecake
12. Cornbread
Do you have a 12 in '12 list?
1. Sourdough Bread
2. Nutella Swirl Bread
3. Hot Cross Buns
4. Tamales
5. Buffalo Chicken Dip
6. Ribs
7. Cherry Pie
8. Gelato
9. Jalapeno Mac & Cheese
10. Rum Cake
11. New York Cheesecake
12. Cornbread
Do you have a 12 in '12 list?
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
Awww, Shucks - I'm Blushing ... Blog Awards
To contact us Click HERE
Yesterday, Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack gave me the Sunshine Award ... thanks sooooo much, Dawn! I'm truly, truly touched!!
Along with the joy of receiving this award came some guilt, though. So, I have a confession to make. I've received awards in the past, too, and ... while I've acknowledged the giver ... I haven't passed any awards along, which is the truly super fun part of receiving one of the blog awards, right?!? So I decided I would rectify that today, and do one big "I'm catching up on awards" post. Thanks to Dawn for pushing me along to clear my conscience! :-)
Now, I'm not going to exactly follow all the blog award rules ... I've always been a bit of a rule-bender like that ... not a get-in-all-kinds-of-trouble rule-breaker, mind you ... but a bender, YES. I've listed the rules of each award ... ya know, so others can follow them ... but I'm going to just stick to the spirit of the rules (which is recognizing awesome and inspiring blogs, right?). Shhhhhhh!! ... don't tell the award police. Okay?
Sunshine Award
The Sunshine Award is an award passed on by bloggers to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” Thank you so much to Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack for passing this award along to me! I'm truly touched to be considered a positive and creative inspiration to others!
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Pass on to 10 favorite bloggers & leave them a comment letting them know
Sunshine Award questions and my answers:
1. Favorite color: It depends on what we're talking about! For clothes - black. There's about an 85% chance on any given day that I'm wearing black. For house walls - neutral white or beige. I mean, seriously, that way you change up your furnishings and decorations without having to repaint! (Can you tell I'm a practical girl??) For 'just fun' - probably red or bright yellow ... they're happy colors.
2. Favorite animal: Monkeys ... they're fun. And I fed one out of my hand in Costa Rica. And giraffes ... they're pretty. I fed one out of my mouth not long ago. (I'm noticing a trend here...)
(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)
3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.
Versatile Blogger Award Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who awarded you and link back to them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself (see Sunshine Award answers above, or I share a whoooooole lot more about myself on my About page.)
3. Pass the award along to 10 other newly discovered blogs.
Liebster Blog AwardThanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.
Anita shared that in German "Liebster" means "dear" and the verb "Lieber" is "to love," and that the purpose of this award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. To echo Anita's sentiment about receiving this award, it certainly does make one feel "dearly loved" to receive this award.
Now, I do indeed have more than 200 followers ... but I assure you that these two fine ladies didn't break any rules when giving me this award! Remember my confession at the start of the post??? ... uh, yeh ... I was given this award a loooooooooong time ago ... back when this blog met the followers requirement.Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award
Now for the super-fun part!!!!
I hereby bestow these blog award honors upon the following fabulously-fantastic and inspiring bloggers, who ... though they may not know it ... encourage and inspire me every day.
Thanks for being awesome, my bloggy friends!
1. Nicole at Heat Oven to 350
Nicole is hysterically funny - her posts will keep you in stitches! She was the first non-family-person to leave a comment on my blog and is a fellow native Vermonter, so she has a special place in my blog-heart. Nicole just welcomed her daughter into the world, so she's a little quiet on the blog scene right now, but there are lots of fabulous posts in her archives that will keep you rolling!
2. Dorothy at Crazy for Crust
Oh my, Dorothy is another hysterically funny one. And she shares fabulously delicious sweets that keep me drooling at my computer screen.
3. Lisa at Shine Your Light
Lisa is so immensely kind-hearted and encouraging. I'm always uplifted by her posts and comments!
4. Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Anita and I began our blogs right around the same time. She's another immensely kind-hearted blogger who makes you want to ask if she'll be your Aunt Nubby, too!
5. Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Lisa is indeed as sweet as a sugar cookie. Lisa welcomed me into the bloggy community and invited me to participate in my first linky party!
6. Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tina is the hostess-with-the-mostest of one of the monthly challenges in which I participate, The Crazy Cooking Challenge. Tina works soooo hard to pull this challenge together each month. Thank you, Tina!!
7. Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is incredibly talented and awes me every time with her home projects. Her creations are so beautiful!
8. Jill at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons
Jill is sooooo immensely creative with her kitchen projects! Seriously, I'm amazed at what she comes up with every time she posts.
9. Dawn at Addicted to Recipes
Aahhhhh, Dawn .... we share the same addiction. Need I say more?
10. Heather & Vanessa at At the Picket Fence
Heather and Vanessa truly 'speak' from the heart, and are so kind and encouraging. I'm always inspired by their wonderful comments!
If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.
Along with the joy of receiving this award came some guilt, though. So, I have a confession to make. I've received awards in the past, too, and ... while I've acknowledged the giver ... I haven't passed any awards along, which is the truly super fun part of receiving one of the blog awards, right?!? So I decided I would rectify that today, and do one big "I'm catching up on awards" post. Thanks to Dawn for pushing me along to clear my conscience! :-)
Now, I'm not going to exactly follow all the blog award rules ... I've always been a bit of a rule-bender like that ... not a get-in-all-kinds-of-trouble rule-breaker, mind you ... but a bender, YES. I've listed the rules of each award ... ya know, so others can follow them ... but I'm going to just stick to the spirit of the rules (which is recognizing awesome and inspiring blogs, right?). Shhhhhhh!! ... don't tell the award police. Okay?
Sunshine Award
The Sunshine Award is an award passed on by bloggers to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” Thank you so much to Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack for passing this award along to me! I'm truly touched to be considered a positive and creative inspiration to others!
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself
3. Pass on to 10 favorite bloggers & leave them a comment letting them know
Sunshine Award questions and my answers:
1. Favorite color: It depends on what we're talking about! For clothes - black. There's about an 85% chance on any given day that I'm wearing black. For house walls - neutral white or beige. I mean, seriously, that way you change up your furnishings and decorations without having to repaint! (Can you tell I'm a practical girl??) For 'just fun' - probably red or bright yellow ... they're happy colors.
2. Favorite animal: Monkeys ... they're fun. And I fed one out of my hand in Costa Rica. And giraffes ... they're pretty. I fed one out of my mouth not long ago. (I'm noticing a trend here...)
(click this link to read the story about me feeding the giraffe)
3. Favorite number: 13 ... really, it is.4. Favorite drink: Chardonnay. (Unless it's before 5:00 ... then water.)5. Facebook or Twitter: Facebook. I don't tweet. I can only handle just so many forms of social media.6. Good Book or a Good Movie: Good book ... and then see it as a good movie!7. My Passion: Teaching. And chocolate.8. Giving or getting presents: BOTH!!! I absolutely love to give presents! ... Love seeing others happy. But I'd be fibbing if I didn't say that I love to get them, too!9. Favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving ... lots of delicious food and time with family!10. Favorite flowers: Tulips. Especially crazy-colored ones. They're so beautiful.
Versatile Blogger Award Thank you so much to Evie at Brown Paper Packages for passing along The Versatile Blogger award to me! I truly appreciate it, Evie.
Rules:
1. Thank the blogger who awarded you and link back to them.
2. Share 7 things about yourself (see Sunshine Award answers above, or I share a whoooooole lot more about myself on my About page.)
3. Pass the award along to 10 other newly discovered blogs.
Liebster Blog AwardThanks so much to Hearty Appletite and Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen for awarding me the Liebster award! So, so sweet, ladies.
Anita shared that in German "Liebster" means "dear" and the verb "Lieber" is "to love," and that the purpose of this award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers. To echo Anita's sentiment about receiving this award, it certainly does make one feel "dearly loved" to receive this award.
Now, I do indeed have more than 200 followers ... but I assure you that these two fine ladies didn't break any rules when giving me this award! Remember my confession at the start of the post??? ... uh, yeh ... I was given this award a loooooooooong time ago ... back when this blog met the followers requirement.Rules:
1. Thank your giver
2. Copy and paste the "Liebster" award to your blog
3. Pay it forward to 5 blogs who you feel deserve this award
Now for the super-fun part!!!!
I hereby bestow these blog award honors upon the following fabulously-fantastic and inspiring bloggers, who ... though they may not know it ... encourage and inspire me every day.
Thanks for being awesome, my bloggy friends!
1. Nicole at Heat Oven to 350
Nicole is hysterically funny - her posts will keep you in stitches! She was the first non-family-person to leave a comment on my blog and is a fellow native Vermonter, so she has a special place in my blog-heart. Nicole just welcomed her daughter into the world, so she's a little quiet on the blog scene right now, but there are lots of fabulous posts in her archives that will keep you rolling!
2. Dorothy at Crazy for Crust
Oh my, Dorothy is another hysterically funny one. And she shares fabulously delicious sweets that keep me drooling at my computer screen.
3. Lisa at Shine Your Light
Lisa is so immensely kind-hearted and encouraging. I'm always uplifted by her posts and comments!
4. Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Anita and I began our blogs right around the same time. She's another immensely kind-hearted blogger who makes you want to ask if she'll be your Aunt Nubby, too!
5. Lisa at Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Lisa is indeed as sweet as a sugar cookie. Lisa welcomed me into the bloggy community and invited me to participate in my first linky party!
6. Tina at Mom's Crazy Cooking
Tina is the hostess-with-the-mostest of one of the monthly challenges in which I participate, The Crazy Cooking Challenge. Tina works soooo hard to pull this challenge together each month. Thank you, Tina!!
7. Kristen at Kristen's Creations
Kristen is incredibly talented and awes me every time with her home projects. Her creations are so beautiful!
8. Jill at Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons
Jill is sooooo immensely creative with her kitchen projects! Seriously, I'm amazed at what she comes up with every time she posts.
9. Dawn at Addicted to Recipes
Aahhhhh, Dawn .... we share the same addiction. Need I say more?
10. Heather & Vanessa at At the Picket Fence
Heather and Vanessa truly 'speak' from the heart, and are so kind and encouraging. I'm always inspired by their wonderful comments!
If you've never 'met' these bloggers, pop on over to check them out. Seriously, they are some of the best around.
Sangria!
To contact us Click HERE
Nothing says summer like a big pitcher of sangria!! Okay ... well maybe strawberries ... fresh corn on the cob ... cookouts ... ripe, juicy peaches ... days at the pool ...
Well, hey ... Sangria is right up there in my book.
It's pretty much a go-to beverage for me when having summertime get-togethers. It's so simple to whip up, and let's face it ... it's just plain fun to drink.
Another thing I love about sangria is its versatility. You can change it up pretty much any-which-way to suit your own personal taste. Red? Yup, that's a classic. Rose? Sure. White? Oh, yes indeed! - like my White Sangria with Nectarines, Plums, & Lemons.
Personally, I haven't yet met a sangria I didn't like.
In addition to giving the recipe for this post's specific sangria (see the bottom of the post), I thought I'd share the 'sangria basics' so you all can experiment. So, here goes...
'Sangria Basics'
- Choose a 750 ml ('regular size') bottle of wine; typically a dry wine, though I have made a sparkling sangria with a Moscato (semi-sweet) before and it was good
- Pour the wine in a pitcher and add about 2 tablespoons of sugar and about a 1/4 cup of liquor, typically brandy for red or rose wines and rum for white wines
- Stir to dissolve the sugar
- Add sliced fruit
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day, before serving - note, though, that some fruits don't hold up as long as others and need to be consumed more in the 'hours' timeframe than the 'day' timeframe
- Add seltzer just before serving
That's it! Pretty easy, huh?
Now the hardest part ... taste it, and decide if the taste balance is okay. If you're not sure, taste it again. Oh, perhaps you'll need a thirdgulp sip ...
Sometimes I need to add a tiny bit more sugar. Sometimes, if I've used lemons, I need to remove the lemon slices because the lemon flavor is starting to take over. Still not sure?? Go ahead - taste again. Whew, being a sangria chef is tough work!
Now that your tough work is done, poor a big ol' glass to reward yourself. You deserve it.
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Sangria with Oranges, Lemons, & ApplesSource: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, May 2011
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
1/4 c. brandy
2 T. sugar
2 oranges, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 green apple, sliced
1 1/2 c. seltzer
Combine the wine, rum, and sugar in a pitcher; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced fruit. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day. Add the seltzer just before serving.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things, Sunday Showcase Party hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef In Training, Whacha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Pin'Inspirational Thursdays hosted by Jane's Adventures in Dinner, Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday with Diane Balch hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Weekend Wrap Up hosted by Tater Tots & Jello.
Nothing says summer like a big pitcher of sangria!! Okay ... well maybe strawberries ... fresh corn on the cob ... cookouts ... ripe, juicy peaches ... days at the pool ...
Well, hey ... Sangria is right up there in my book.
It's pretty much a go-to beverage for me when having summertime get-togethers. It's so simple to whip up, and let's face it ... it's just plain fun to drink.
Another thing I love about sangria is its versatility. You can change it up pretty much any-which-way to suit your own personal taste. Red? Yup, that's a classic. Rose? Sure. White? Oh, yes indeed! - like my White Sangria with Nectarines, Plums, & Lemons.
Personally, I haven't yet met a sangria I didn't like.
In addition to giving the recipe for this post's specific sangria (see the bottom of the post), I thought I'd share the 'sangria basics' so you all can experiment. So, here goes...
'Sangria Basics'
- Choose a 750 ml ('regular size') bottle of wine; typically a dry wine, though I have made a sparkling sangria with a Moscato (semi-sweet) before and it was good
- Pour the wine in a pitcher and add about 2 tablespoons of sugar and about a 1/4 cup of liquor, typically brandy for red or rose wines and rum for white wines
- Stir to dissolve the sugar
- Add sliced fruit
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day, before serving - note, though, that some fruits don't hold up as long as others and need to be consumed more in the 'hours' timeframe than the 'day' timeframe
- Add seltzer just before serving
That's it! Pretty easy, huh?
Now the hardest part ... taste it, and decide if the taste balance is okay. If you're not sure, taste it again. Oh, perhaps you'll need a third
Sometimes I need to add a tiny bit more sugar. Sometimes, if I've used lemons, I need to remove the lemon slices because the lemon flavor is starting to take over. Still not sure?? Go ahead - taste again. Whew, being a sangria chef is tough work!
Now that your tough work is done, poor a big ol' glass to reward yourself. You deserve it.
I invite you to follow The Kitchen is My Playground with Pinterest, Facebook, Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, bloglovin', or Feedburner. Buttons are in the right sidebar. I'd love to have you back soon!
Sangria with Oranges, Lemons, & ApplesSource: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, May 2011
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
1/4 c. brandy
2 T. sugar
2 oranges, sliced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 green apple, sliced
1 1/2 c. seltzer
Combine the wine, rum, and sugar in a pitcher; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced fruit. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day. Add the seltzer just before serving.
Enjoy!
This post is linked with Think Pink Sundays hosted by Flamingo Toes, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Nap Time, Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, Nifty Thrifty Sunday hosted by Nifty Thrifty Things, Sunday Showcase Party hosted by Under the Table and Dreaming, On the Menu Monday hosted by Stone Gable, Mangia Mondays hosted by Shine Your Light, Totally Tasty Tuesdays hosted by Mandy's Recipe Box, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef In Training, Whacha Whipped Up Wednesday hosted by DJ's Sugar Shack, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, Pin'Inspirational Thursdays hosted by Jane's Adventures in Dinner, Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Inspiration Friday hosted by At the Picket Fence, Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, Foodie Friday with Diane Balch hosted by Simple Living with Diane Balch, Weekend Potluck hosted by The Country Cook, Strut Your Stuff Saturday hosted by Six Sisters' Stuff, Weekend Wrap Up hosted by Tater Tots & Jello.
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