Donut Hole Acorns

Last week I had a meeting in the city that I grew up in. I always enjoy meetings there because I get to see my family and friends. My mom was in charge of helping with a reception for the new teachers at her school. She wanted to make these acorns for the "Fall themed" reception, and she didn't have to twist my arm too hard to get me to help.

We used peanut butter and chocolate jimmies for the acorn top, but we both agreed that Nutella and toffee bits would taste better.  You can make these the night before or the day of serving. If you make them too far in advance, they will dry out.

What you'll need to make these:

Donut holes
Nutella (or peanut butter)
Toffee bits (or chocolate jimmies)
Pretzel sticks, broken in half


The directions are pretty much self-explanatory.  Dip the donut hole in the Nutella (or peanut butter), making sure to cover about 1/3 of the top. Then roll it in the toffee bits (or jimmies). Stick a half of a pretzel stick in the top and set on wax paper. Keep in a covered container until serving time.

Source: Gracious Rain

Cheese Straws

 

This past weekend, my mom and I traveled to Kansas City to visit my sister and brother-in-law. We had a blast! There are so many shops and restaurants up there that we don't have here in Alabama, so of course we shopped 'till we dropped and ate until we about popped. One of the shops we visited was Sur la Table. I now realize that I've been pronouncing the name of the store in my southern American accent instead of French (::blushing::). I walked out of the shop with several knick knacks, and my mom bought a cookie press that we used to make these cheese straws. I've never used a cookie press before, so I was excited to get into the kitchen and learn.

These cheese straws were delicious, but the only thing missing was the cayenne pepper. My sister has the most sensitive taste buds when it comes to spicy foods and doesn't even keep red pepper in her house. Blasphemy, I know, but I won't judge!

Cheese Straws

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (we used extra sharp)
1 stick butter, softened
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to your liking)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Beat the first 4 ingredients at medium speed with a stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined.

Use a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape mixture into long ribbons, following manufacturer's instructions, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cut ribbons into 2-inch pieces

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week (although several people have told me that they last much longer).

Source: You Know What You Oughta Do

Corn and Jalapeno Nachos

This is another recipe from the recipe swap that I participate in. The theme this week was "tailgating foods." Nachos are the ultimate tailgating food, in my opinion, so I wasn't surprised when I got this in my inbox. 

One of the great things about this recipe is that each chip already has the filling inside. Even the chips on the bottom of the plate have just as much filling as the ones on the top. This isn't always the case with many nacho recipes; usually the chips on the bottom get shafted.

Feel free to cut the recipe in half. Also, make sure you serve them immediately. They tend to loose thier "crunch" if they sit too long.


Corn and Jalapeno Nachos

Ingredients:
1 bag Tostitos Scoops
1 jar sliced jalapenos
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container plain Greek yogurt (may sub with sour cream)
1 can sweet corn (drained)
1 bag shredded cheese (Mexican blend)
Sliced olives and cilantro, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees-F.

Mix together the cream cheese, Greek yogurt and corn until smooth. Add about 1 cup of shredded cheese to the mixture, and stir until combined.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and fill sheet with Tostitos (scoop side up).
Place 1 jalapeno in the bottom of each scoop.  Fill each scoop about 3/4 of the way up with the cheese/yogurt mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top each scoop with a little of the shredded cheese and bake for another 5 minutes, or until shredded cheese is melted.

Garnish with sliced olives and cilantro.

Source: barely adapted from The Wannabe Cook

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

Football season has come again, and that means tailgating time! These buffalo chicken rolls are the perfect tailgating finger food to serve at your next football party. They are hot-hot-hot, so make sure you have some blue cheese or ranch dressing to dip them into. Otherwise, your mouth will be on fire. You can make these as mild or spicy as you want. Just adjust how much sauce you put on the chicken.

My husband makes the best hot wing sauce, so I let him whip up his recipe while I shredded the chicken. I did find that I needed more than 1 cup of shredded chicken. I used 2 cups, which made around 13 rolls. I just used a rotisserie chicken, but you could boil chicken breasts and/or thighs and then shred them. Next time I make these, I'll put a little less blue cheese inside the rolls. A little bit goes a long way, especially if you're also using a blue cheese dipping sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Rolls
makes about 12-13 rolls

Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups chicken, shredded
1 cup (4-ounces) crumbled blue cheese (I'll use a little less next time)
1 cup broccoli slaw or cole slaw (dry)
12-13 egg roll wrappers
Small bowl of water
Blue cheese dressing or Ranch dressing for serving

Directions:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the hot sauce and garlic powder. Stir until combined. Pour the desired amount into the bowl with the shredded chicken, depending on your spice preference. Mix until chicken is moist with the sauce.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Lay egg roll wrappers on a clean work surface. Begin by placing one tablespoon of the broccoli slaw on the diagonal of the bottom right corner of one of the wrappers. Next, place 2 tablespoons of shredded spicy chicken evenly on top of the slaw. Spoon 1 tablespoon (or less) of the blue cheese crumbles over the chicken. Do not overfill.

To fold: Fold the bottom right corner over the stuffing mixture so that it covers it completely, with the tip of the corner now pointing to the center of the egg roll wrapper. Fold in the bottom left corner, followed by the right, so that you now have formed an envelope. Roll the wrap upward one time, leaving the top left corner open. Wet your index finger in the small bowl of water and press to moisten the top left corner. Now fold that down on top of the filled roll, sealing it like you would an envelope.

Repeat with remaining rolls.

Place the rolls on a wire rack set on top of a cookie sheet (or just on a greased cookie sheet) coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spritz each roll evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. Turn the rolls over, and bake for an additional 7 minutes to crisp the other side.

Source: barely adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner

Potato Parmesan Soup with Pesto

I came across this recipe when searching for ways to use pesto. At first I found it a bit unusual; I would have never thought about adding pesto to potato soup. However, the end result was a rich and creamy soup with a huge pop of personality from the pesto. This, my friends, is not your mama's potato soup (although I'm sure your mama's potato soup is wonderful)! The pesto and Parmesan cheese marry well together. Don't hesitate to sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top right before serving. Serve this in a cup as an appetizer or in a bowl as a full meal.


Potato Parmesan Soup with Pesto

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 whole medium shallot, diced
1 whole large garlic clove, minced
5 whole medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pesto

Directions:
In a medium stockpot, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat to medium. When warm, add shallot and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add potatoes, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add milk and bring back to a low boil. Turn off heat and remove bay leaf. Stir in grated Parmesan. Using an immersion blender, puree soup to desired texture. If you use a blender rather than an immersion blender, make sure soup is cool before blending it to prevent a kitchen explosion. Taste soup at this point and add salt and pepper to taste (the soup should be plenty salty from the Parmesan cheese). If you don't serve immediately, reheat soup before serving.

Place a large dollop (about 1 tablespoon or more) of pesto into each serving bowl and swirl into the soup.

Source: Potato Parmesan soup recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Walnut Pesto

The first time I had pesto was when my dad and I went on a hiking trip in Moab, Utah. Moab is a town in the middle of nowhere, and it's famous for Arches National Park. We hiked several trails while there and saw lots of arches. We ate dinner at one of the few local restaurants, and I ordered smothered nachos for dinner. They were gourmet nachos and had sundried tomato pesto and pine nuts sprinkled on them. I ate them like they were going out of style. Until....

I started feeling like my throat was swelling. Then I started getting itchy bumps on my lips. I told my dad (who thankfully is a doctor) that I thought I was getting strep throat. He immediately knew what was going on and closed out our check. We went to the pharmacy, and I doped up on Benadryl. By the time we got back to our hotel, I was covered in hives, wheezing, and throwing up. I remember saying that I wouldn't even wish this on my worst enemy. It was that bad!  The Benadryl kicked in eventually, and my inhaler was my best friend that night. By the morning, I was pretty much back to normal (except for the hangover from all the Benadryl).

Fast forward to a year down the road. My dad and I were eating at a restaurant in San Francisco. Even though we thought my allergy was from pine nuts, we weren't 100% sure. He ordered a salad topped with pine nuts, and I got brave (or stupid) and bit off a tiny portion of one pine nut. Sure enough, my body reacted with a swollen throat, itchy lips, wheezing, and my nose was completely closed up. Thankfully I didn't get hives all over my body like the first time, but I also only bit off a portion of of a pine nut during this test. After this test, I was 100% sure I had a pine nut allergy.

All of this to say that I can't ever order anything with pesto in it when I go out to eat. More than likely it will be made with pine nuts. However, nothing can stop me from having pesto at home. Made with walnuts instead of pine nuts, I can still get the flavor without my life literally being put in danger.

This recipe uses 3 cups of packed fresh basil, so this is a great way to trim your flourishing basil bush. It also freezes well. I put tablespoonfuls into each compartment of an ice tray and made pesto cubes. Once frozen, I placed all the cubes in a freezer bag. Freeze several batches throughout the summer so you can have fresh pesto during the winter months.

Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:
3 small cloves garlic
3 cups packed fresh basil
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more if you like it thinner
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted until golden and cooled
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Combine basil and about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil inside the food processor, and blend into a paste. Add the walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Add more oil if you want a thinner consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze into small cubes.

Source: barely adapted from My Baking Addiction

Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust

If I were on death row, this very well may be what I choose as my last meal.  And since it would be my last meal, I would eat the entire thing. After all, I wouldn't have to worry about slipping into my skinny jeans the next day.

All joking aside, this really is a delicious tart. I could never turn down a dish that contains tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. That is my favorite flavor combination. This recipe is unique because the basil is actually inside the crust. Genius! If you really want to impress someone, make this tart... it's so easy and delicious!


Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust

Ingredients:
1 recipe Basil-Garlic Tart dough (below)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
Prepare the dough, and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.

Preheat oven to 375-F. Line the bottom of the tart shell with mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.

Place the tart onto a baking sheet covered with foil or parchment paper, and bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing. (The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)


Basil-Garlic Tart Dough

Ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 8 to 10 pieces
4-5 Tablespoons ice water

Directions:
Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.

Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.
Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough, and proceed with the recipe as directed.

Source: Ezra Pound Cake, originally adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook by Jack Bishop

Taco Hummus

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I know this really doesn't count as a Mexican dish, but I had to throw it in since it has the word "taco" in it. I didn't cook tonight since Aubrey and I met some friends at a Mexican restaurant. Sometimes it's nice not having to clean up a kitchen after a long day at work, and it was also nice to catch up with friends.

I've definitely been on a hummus kick lately. I keep pita bread and/or pita chips around most of the time for Aubrey and me to snack on. It's one of my favorite snacks, and it's a good source of fiber from the garbanzo beans and protein from the tahini. This particular recipe has many of the spices that taco seasoning has, which gives it a slight "taco" flavor.  I'll definitely make this one again!

Taco Hummus

Ingredients:
2 cans chickpeas, liquid reserved
1 heaping Tablespoon chili powder
1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Juice of one lemon

Directions:
Combine the chickpeas and all the spices in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well combined. With the machine running, add the tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice through the feed tube. Add reserved liquid from the chickpeas as necessary to achieve your desired texture. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary. Drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with extra paprika.

Source: Savory Spicy Sweet

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

I've made these egg rolls several times, and I'm just now getting them onto my blog to share with my readers. These make a great-tasting and nutritious snack and/or appetizer.
The first time I made these was for my sister's lingerie shower last year. It was a "hot and spicy" themed shower, and we had lots of southwestern hors d'oeuvres for the guests to munch on. These egg rolls were quite a hit. I have to admit that I forgot to put the cheese in the mixture the first time I made these, but there are so many flavors in it that I didn't even miss it.  I would definitely add cheese if making these for a party because it helps to hold everything together in the inside. However, I leave out the cheese when making these for my household snacks so I can save calories.


Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (optional)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers (about 24 total)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you. Place 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of the egg roll. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water or beaten egg and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Preheat the oven to 425-degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking. Serve warm with salsa or soy dipping sauce.

Source: Annie's Eats

My notes***  I found that these freeze well after they are baked. I just wrapped them up in some plastic wrap once they cooled and then put them in a zip top plastic bag.
To re-heat, place the frozen egg roll(s) onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake for about 20 minutes at 425-degrees. If the egg rolls start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus

I bought some hummus from the grocery store the other day. I'm not sure why I did that because store-bought hummus never tastes right to me. It's in the "store-bought-never-tastes-good" category along with cole slaw and potato salad as far as I'm concerned. Anywho, I decided to break out my food processor and make a batch since my husband has been wanting some (I've make a hummus-lover out of him since we've been married).
Hummus is so simple and quick to make (if you have a food processor), and it's always a great appetizer to bring to a party (I would double the recipe for parties). This particular recipe uses black beans in place of the chick peas, but it still incorporates the tahini like traditional hummus. Aubrey and I were amazed when we tasted the hummus. There are so many of our favorite flavors in each bite. Aubrey loves spicy foods, and I love black beans and cumin. We could have easily eaten the whole bowl in one sitting.

Spicy Black Bean Hummus
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped (about 2 Tablespoons)
Dash of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of ground red pepper
Pita bread and/or pita chips

Directions:
Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeno pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth. Spoon bean mixture into a medium bowl, and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with ground red pepper. Serve with pita chips.

Nutritional Info (per 2 1/2 Tablespoon serving): 148 calories; 6.2g fat; 1.7mg iron; 0mg Cholesterol; 16mg calcium; 20.6g carbs; 381mg sodium; 4.5g protein; 3.5g fiber.

Source: Cooking Light

Baked Oven Fries

I made these oven fries last week, and I apologize for just now getting around to posting them. I was so happy with how these turned out. The only thing I would do differently is cut them a little thicker. Mine cooked a little faster than the directions called for. Next time I'll cut them at least 1/3 or 1/4-inch thick.
One of the reasons I love this recipe is because I don't have to deal with the frying pan. I always get nervous when I fry things because of all the oil that bubbles and pops; not to mention the stench it leaves in the house and in my hair and clothes. These baked up nicely in the oven without me having to worry about them. I'll definitely be making these again and again.

Baked Oven Fries
Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 Tablespoons vegetable, canola or peanut oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475-degrees. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil. Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5-15 minutes. Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lines plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Source: Annie's Eats

Baked Brie Wrapped in Puffed Pastry

I've seen this recipe several times before from various different places, so I decided to give it a try. Baked Brie is one of my favorite appetizers, and it's always the one to disappear first at parties. I made this as an appetizer for a football get-together at my in-laws. I usually serve it with Wheat Thin crackers, but you can also eat it straight off of a fork.


Ingredients:
1 frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 round (5-inches) Brie cheese
1/4 cup Pumpkin and Orange Spiced Jam or your favorite jam
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 T water
Flour for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
Lightly flour puff pastry, and roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Wrap dough around Brie, and trim away excess pastry. Reserve excess pastry to cut decorative shapes. Seal edges by pressing with your fingers. Place the Brie on a baking sheet seam-side down. Attach any decorative pieces of dough in the design of your choice. At this point you may refrigerate for up to 48-hours. When ready to bake, brush the entire top of the Brie with egg wash.

Bake for15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and let rest for about 20 minutes before serving.

For another great Brie recipe, check out the recipe for Pecan Caramelized Brie.

Fried Onion Strings with Spicy Fry Sauce

These little things may be thin, but they sure are dangerous. Before I even realized it, Aubrey and I had almost knocked out a whole onion. They are like a blooming onion from Outback Steakhouse sans the bloom. And even though they're fried, they aren't very greasy if you drain them on a few paper towels.
The spicy fry sauce reminds me a lot of Guthrie's sauce. I'll definitely be making this more often to add to hamburgers and as a dip for french fries and chicken fingers. It's absolutely amazing! You can adjust the red pepper to suit your taste buds.

Onion Strings

Ingredients:
1 whole large yellow onion
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups All-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon (scant) salt
1/4 teaspoon (to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne (red) pepper
1 quart (to 2 quarts) Canola oil
Black pepper, to taste


Directions:
Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour.
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil to 375-degrees. A candy thermometer comes in very handy here.
Grab a handful of onions, throw them into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and plunge into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown. Repeat until onions are gone.
And the words from Pioneer Woman's mouth: "Eat before your family sees them. Repeat with another onion, because they'll be really mad if they didn't get any."

Definitely make the spicy fry sauce below to dip these little suckers into:

Spicy Fry Sauce

I doubled this recipe:
Mix together 1/3 cup Mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons Ketchup, and 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (use less if you have a sensitive mouth).

Source for onion strings: Pioneer Woman
Source for sauce: Pioneer Woman

Graduation Pops

I'm far overdue for a new blog post. I wanted to make this one a good one since I've been MIA for a month. I'm still trying to get my stomach issues straightened out. I feel much better, but I'm still trying to figure out which foods and/or preservatives are making me feel bad. But, enough of talking about me.... Meet these little graduation pops.



I saw these on Bakerella's website last year, and I finally had the opportunity to make them. Catherine (my sister) graduated from med school a few weeks ago. We had a graduation party for her, and I brought these. I was pressed for time, so my sweet momma helped me put them together. Four hands are better than two when time is in a crunch.

I'm sure you can tell that these are mini Reese cups with a square piece of chocolate "glued" on with melted chocolate. I also glued some yellow candy buttons and and strings of Laffy Taffy (I rolled them out and sliced them) for the tassells.

For step-by-step directions, you can head over to Bakerella's website.
The picture below is of Catherine and my dad (the two MDs of my immediate family) after graduation. Catherine and her new hubby, Jerry just moved to Kansas City where she will complete her residency in pediatrics. I miss them already. :)

Source: Bakerella

Hot Bacon and Swiss Dip

During our visit to Birmingham, we were able to go to a Christmas party to visit some family friends. Mama was in charge of bringing an appetizer, but she was running short on time so I offered to make it. This dip is a crowd-pleaser, for sure. The funny thing is that the other family in charge of appetizers brought the same dish. What are the chances of that happening? Needless to say, they both disappeared. This dip is great with crackers or Frito chips.

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 Tablespoons green onions, plus more for garnish
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup Ritz crackers, crushed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Soften cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Swiss cheese, and green onions; mix well. Transfer to a baking dish or pie dish. Top with bacon and Ritz crackers. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly. Top with extra green onions for garnish.

Pecan Caramelized Brie

I made this sweet appetizer for the annual Christmas Eve brunch that my in-laws host. It's super quick and easy, and it's definitely a crowd-pleaser. Lots of people went back for seconds (including me). It was great with wheat thins, but the ginger snaps were my favorite cookie to dig into it with. I'll be making this again and again, for sure!


Ingredients:
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves,

Directions:
Combine brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat. Stir mixture until it comes to a boil. Boil gently, without stirring, for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and (shielding hands with oven mitts) quickly whisk in baking soda. Stir in salt and pecans until mixture begins to set, about 30 seconds. Working quickly, mound warm nut mixture on top of Brie and let caramel cascade down sides of cheese.

**My notes: Don't let the baking soda step scare you. It just foams up some. if you have a deep saucepan, you will have no trouble at all. Mitts were not needed for me, but I wore them as a precaution anyway.
Brie has a rind that is soft, so it's not necessary to peel it. However, I used a paring knife to get most of it. You can do whatever suits you, though.

Source: Sugar & Spice

Goat Cheese Toasts

I saw a recipe for Roasted Butternut Soup with Goat Cheese Toasts, and I was so excited to make it. Well, the soup was nothing to write home about. I'm not even going to waste my time blogging it, but these little toasts sure are worth blogging about. I love goat cheese. I fell in love several years ago when I was traveling to a pharmacy rotation in Montana. I traveled there with a couple of friends, and we stopped at every tourist attraction we could find along our drive from Alabama to Montana. One of the places we visited was Vail, CO. The day we were there, they were having a cheese fair. Several dairy (goat cheese, in particular) farmers were there to sell their different cheeses. We tried every kind of goat cheese you could think of.... and that's where I fell in love with it. In Vail, CO. Mmmm. I love you, goat cheese!

The crunchiness of the toast and the creaminess of the cheese was the perfect combination. The chives sprinkled on top was like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.

Ingredients:
6 (1-ounce) slices French bread baguette

1/2 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:
Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until toasted. Sprinkle about 4 teaspoons cheese on each slice; sprinkle evenly with chives.

Source: Cooking Light

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

A couple of weekends ago, Aubrey and I went to visit my grandparents. My grandfather has a garden the size of my house, and he sure knows how to grow anything you can think of. I'd be happy if I even had a hint of his green thumb. During the summer months (and part of fall), he always sends me away with fresh vegetables. This time I got a bag full of jalapenos. When you have a ton of jalapenos, what's better to make than jalapeno poppers?
These little suckers are addicting and disappear very quickly. I think my bacon strips were too short to cut into thirds, so next time I'll cut the bacon strips in half.



Ingredients:
Fresh jalapenos, 2-3 inches in size
Cream cheese, softened
Thin (regular) bacon, sliced in thirds or in half


Directions:
Cut jalapenos in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things very H-O-T. Smear softened cream cheese into each jalapeno half. Wrap jalapeno with bacon piece. Secure by sticking toothpick through the middle. (At this time you can freeze them, uncooked, in a Ziploc bag for later use.)

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes. You don't want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to squeeze the jalapeno. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn't look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeno still has a bit of a bite to it.

Serve immediately, or they're also great at room temperature.

Source: Pioneer Woman

Tabasco Hummus

For my birthday, Aubrey took me to a bed and breakfast in Louisiana. The Madewood Plantation is definitely a good B&B to check out. After breakfast, we drove to Avery Island where Tabasco sauce is made. We came home with a ton Tabasco pepper pulp that can be used for a variety of things. Since we polished off the roasted garlic hummus, we wanted to try a hummus recipe using the pepper pulp. We were really pleased at how it turned out. It was pretty spicy, so if you decide to try this recipe (and have pepper pulp on hand), you can adjust the pulp amount to your liking.
If you don't have pepper pulp (which it's very likely that you don't), you could probably just use several drops of Tabasco sauce instead. We haven't tried this, so I have no idea how much. I would just start off with several drops and add more to your liking.

Ingredients:
2 cans chick peas/garbanzo beans

6 Tablespoons Tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1-2 Tablespoons Tabasco pulp

6-8 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Place the chick peas, tahini, lemon juice, sea salt, and Tabasco pulp in the food processor. Process for a few seconds and start pouring in the olive oil until it gets to a smooth consistency. Enjoy with pita bread, pita chips, or your favorite vegetable.

Source: Bishop Original

Roasted Garlic Hummus

A new Publix grocery store opened up near one of my job sites, and I had to try it out and use a gift certificate I received from a dear friend of mine. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I couldn't believe that they sold tahini. And not only did they have one brand... they had several. I usually have to go to a health food store to get tahini where I live.
Aubrey and I have been cleaning and doing laundry all day, and I wanted to make us a little snack to enjoy while we worked.

The garlic smells amazing while it is roasting in the oven. Our only recommendation is to use a little more garlic... maybe 2 1/2 to 3 bulbs to give the hummus more of a roasted garlic flavor. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Be careful because it's very addicting.

Ingredients:
2 whole bulbs roasted garlic (or more)
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans
3 Tablespoons sesame tahini
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3-5 Tablespoons of olive oil

Directions:
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the skin and into the food processor. Add the beans, tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Process for a few seconds to get the mixture started. While the mixture runs, begin drizzling in the olive oil starting with 2 Tablespoons and adding more as necessary to create a smooth consistency.

Source: Andrea Meyers