1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 head shredded red cabbage (optional)*
2 bunches green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup sunflower seeds (shelled)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 pound bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar**
In a large mixing bowl toss the broccoli, red cabbage, onions, seeds, raisins and bacon together.
In a small mixing bowl, blend the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together until smooth.
Pour over the vegetable mix.
Toss well and chill 24-48 hours before serving.
NOTE 1*: add another 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets if omitting cabbage. NOTE 2**: can use pineapple juice instead
This is another recipe from crazy aunt Louise – loved that lady! We all remember the Corn Flake Wreaths she made us for Christmas, but she always made this Blueberry Lemon Sauce Cake for 4th of July. She was a serious creature of habit. Thanksgiving always brought her cheesy garlic grits, but I’m still working on perfecting that one – maybe I’ll have it ready for the next Thanksgiving. I make this in an 8×8 baking dish, but it easily doubles for a 9×13. My sauce turned out quite pale today so I added a little yellow food coloring. LOL I say a little, but from the looks of that picture I added a little too much.
BLUEBERRY LEMON SAUCE CAKE CAKE
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
Juice of 1 small lemon
scant 1 cup flour
scant 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Jumbo egg
1/4 cup milk
1+ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Preheat oven to 350˚.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a mixing bowl cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice until well blended.
Add egg and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk and blend until smooth. Batter will be thicker, like a coffee cake consistency.
Fold in blueberries.
SAUCE
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Juice of 2 lemons
Over a medium-high heat whisk together the water and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth.
Add the butter and allow to melt.
Add the sugars and salt, stirring until dissolved.
Add lemon juice and rind.
Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until desired sauce consistency.
Over at Tide & Thyme she had a recipe for Mermaid Margaritas. They’re really good, but hubby wanted to amp it up a bit so we made our own version and are calling them Wave Rocking Mermaids. They are so pretty and all the fruit makes a nice snack too.
WAVE ROCKING MERMAIDS – 4 margaritas.
1 cup margarita mix
1/3 cup Triple Sec
3/4 cup LIME Tequila
1/2 cup Pineapple rum
1/3 cup BLUE Curacao
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Margarita rim salt
1 tablespoon sanding sugar
1 drop green food color
1 drop blue food color
1 LARGE lemon zested, then juiced
1 lime, zested then sliced
Pineapple slices
Maraschino cherries
Combine sugar and lemon zest on a small plate. Add 1 drop of food coloring. Mix well using a fork.
Combine salt and lime zest on a small plate. Add 1 drop of the opposite food color. Mix well using a fork.
Combine sugar and salt on a small plate. Mix well using a fork, and set aside.
In a large pitcher combine the margarita mix, Triple Sec, lime tequila, pineapple rum, Blue Curacao, lemon juice and tablespoon of sugar, stirring to blend well.
Wet the rim of each glass using a lime wedge.
Dip the rim into the sugar-salt combo.
Fill glasses with ice, and then the margarita mixture.
Skewer a pineapple wedge, lemon slice and maraschino cherry onto your bamboo pick and stick it into the margarita for garnish.
NOTE: For a sweeter punch, add a Grenadine float just before serving.
NOTE:To keep your drink from watering down with ice melt, chill your pitcher for an hour or so before serving.
Mason jar dressings are all the rage on the internet right now. With being a scratch cook, I have made my own for years now. The only similarity is the mason jar LOL.
ZESTY BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
1 cup sour cream
⅓ cup Duke’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 2 teaspoons dried
Juice of 1 large lemon juice
Fresh ground Himalayan Salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup buttermilk
Add ALL the ingredients into a mason jar or shaker.
Screw the lid on tightly and shake vigorously.
The dressing will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Pour over your favorite salad ingredients and enjoy!
NOTE: If using dried herbs, make the dressing several hours before you need it so the flavors can absorb into the dressing.
I needed a few things from the grocery store earlier and they had the most gorgeous strawberries that I just had to have some and I had the instant desire to make a pie. I was surprised to find that the rhubarb was gorgeous too. I had never made a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie before so here we are making a pie and I have to tell you I am soooooo glad I did, this was so good. With just the two of us, I made it into 4 small 5 inch pies this time so I could freeze a couple for later.
CRUST
3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening (CRISCO), cut into pieces
10 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
+/- 10 tablespoons ice water
Combine flour, sugar and salt in processor.
Using on/off turns, cut in shortening and butter until coarse meal forms.
Blend in enough ice water 2 tablespoons at a time to form moist clumps.
Gather dough into ball; cut in half.
Flatten each half into disk.
Wrap separately in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. The dough can be made 1 day ahead, but keep it chilled. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.
FILLING
3 1/2 cups trimmed rhubarb pieces about 1 1/2 pounds untrimmed*
1 16-ounce container strawberries, hulled, halved (about 3 1/2 cups)*
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Toss fruits together to mix.
Whisk together the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt.
Sprinkle sugar mixture over fruit and toss gently to blend well.
GLAZE
1 large egg yolk beaten
1 teaspoon water
Preheat oven to 400°.
ASSEMBLY
Roll out 1 dough disk on floured work surface to 13-inch round.
Transfer to 9-inch-diameter Glass pie dish.
Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang.
Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round.
KRAB & PEA FRITTERS
1 cup sour cream
1 small bunch green onions, whites and greens, finely minced and divided
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk*
12 ounces krab, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Sea Salt
red pepper
Frank’s Hot sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
*I only had heavy cream and 1% milk on hand, so I used 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/4 cup 1% milk and they were perfect.
In a medium bowl mix together the sour cream and half the green onions.
Add in lemon juice, salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.
Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs until frothy.
Whisk in the milk.
Add the flour, baking soda, salt and pepper to taste, blending until combined well.
Fold in the krab, the other half of green onions and peas until well blended.
Using a deep skillet (at least 2 inches) heat the oil over a medium high heat until it shimmers.
Add the batter to the oil 1 heaping tablespoon at a time.
Cook the fritters in batches, 2-3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to turn them. Be sure not to crowd the pan.
This is another recipe I originally found over at Two Peas & Their Pod. Ironically she found the recipe for these decadent Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lover’s Brownies from Jessica of Delish’s new cookbook, Seriously Delish which is sitting in my bookshelf. You mean to tell me this recipe was here the entire time and I didn’t know it? Shhh, don’t tell hubby, he’ll be mad I haven’t made them before now! He is a chocolate and peanut butter fanatic – “You got chocolate in my peanut butter, no you got peanut butter on my chocolate”… from this vintage 80’s Reese’s TV commercial.
This is a Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lover’s dream come true – fudgy brownies with a layer of peanut butter, a layer of chocolate ganache AND peanut butter cups on top! These brownies are too good to be true! PURE BLISS! If you love chocolate and peanut butter, you will go CRAZY for these brownies! They are truly to die for – pure cloud floating heaven! BUT, even better is that you can change up this recipe just by changing which candy bars or combinations of candy bars you chop up for the top of the ganache. I’ve tried the original recipe with Reese’s as is and have tried it also with ROLOS, KIT KATS and MOUNDS. They are ALL good and have a distinct flavor despite the rest of the recipe being exactly the same each time.
Do yourself a serious favor and make these brownies SOON! They are a new favorite here at our house and I know they will be for you too!
BROWNIES
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350.
Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Add the butter and chopped chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, 30-60 seconds. Once the chocolate is semi-melted, stir constantly to melt the rest. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter-chocolate mixture and granulated sugar.
Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, stirring until a smooth batter forms.
With a large spoon, mix in the dry ingredients JUST until combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Add the batter to the baking dish.
Bake until the brownies are set and no longer jiggly in the middle, 25-30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let them cool for 30 minutes.
FILLING
1 cup creamy peanut butter, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Stir together the melted peanut butter, powdered sugar, and coconut oil until smooth. The warm peanut butter will melt the coconut oil as you stir until well blended.
Pour the filling over the brownies, using a spatula to spread it around the top.
Let cool completely and firm up, about 20 minutes.
TOPPING
8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups
Add the chocolate to a large bowl.
Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it bubbles around the edges. Remove the cream from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.
Let the mixture stand for 30 seconds, then stir until the chocolate melts and a smooth ganache comes together, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour it over the top of the brownies, then cover with the chopped peanut butter cups.
Let the brownies sit for 30 minutes to set up before cutting.
NOTE: The brownies will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days at room temperature if covered or kept in an airtight container. You can also keep them in the fridge, they will last a few days longer.
1 3/4 cups ginger snap/vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
2 pounds (four 8-ounce boxes) cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups maple sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons blackberry extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sour cream or heavy cream, or a combination of the two
To make the crust:
Butter a 9-inch springform pan—choose one that has high sides. Mine is square.
Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist.
Turn the ingredients into the buttered springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don’t worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway mark on the sides.
Center a rack in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
To make the cheesecake:
Working in a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft and truly creamy, about 5 minutes.
With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla and blackberry extract.
Add the eggs one by one, beating for a full minute after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.
Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, at which point the top will be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven’s heat and open the door a crack.
Allow the cheesecake to sit for another hour.
After 1 hour, carefully remove from the oven and leet the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen sides.
When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and chill the cake for at least 6-8 hours, although overnight would be better.
Serving:
Remove springform sides. The easiest way to cut cheesecake is to use a long, thin knife that has been run under hot water and lightly wiped. Keep warming the knife as you cut slices of the cake.
Storing:
Wrapped well, the cake will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for up to 2 months in the freezer. It’s best to defrost the still-wrapped cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.
Crust Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, chilled in freezer for at least 15 minutes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 heaping teaspoon brown sugar
2-3 tablespoons water, very cold
1 tablespoon butter, melted
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
Filling Ingredients
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 pounds of 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices of peeled and cored apples – I used a combination of Granny Smith, Pink Lady and Gala apples
1 1/2 tablespoons Malibu pineapple rum
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg Wash
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon cream
In a food processor, combine flour, salt and brown sugar, pulse to mix.
Add butter and pulse 6 to 8 times, until mixture resembles coarse meal, with pea size pieces of butter. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until mixture just begins to clump together. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready, if not, add a little more water and pulse again.
Remove dough from machine and place on a clean surface. Carefully shape into disc. Do not over-knead the dough! You should still be able to see little bits of butter in the dough. These bits of butter are what will allow the crust to be flaky. Wrap disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°.
Combine sugar, flour and spices in large bowl. Use your hands and mix in the apples so they are well coated, then add rum and vanilla extract.
Remove crust dis from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle some flour on top of the disk. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch circle; about 1/8 of an inch thick. As you roll out the dough, use a metal spatula to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below. Add a few sprinkles of flour if necessary to keep the dough from sticking.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Roll up like a burrito.
Cut into 1/4 inch rounds.
Lay rounds side by side as close as possible together. Gently flatten with rolling pin.
Place on to a 9-inch pie plate in the center of the pan. Gently press down into the pie dish.
Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center.
Cut puff pastry pieces with a pastry roller to create strips for weaving the lattice top. Pinch edges firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold dough under itself so that the edge of the fold is flush with the edge of the pan. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.
Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top of pie.
Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
Bake pie until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F.
Tent the rims with aluminum foil or a pie protector if the edges are browning too quickly.
Bake until crust is golden and juices are bubbling, anywhere from an additional 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the type of apples you are using.
There is nothing better than chicken on the grill in the summertime. Whether it’s smoked, BBQed or marinaded – you really can’t go wrong. It’s an easy dinner and it doesn’t heat up the house.
This chicken is soaked in a soy sauce brine, then grilled and brushed with an amazing pineapple juice glaze for the last bit of grilling. This recipe is adapted from Cook’s Country, June 2009 & Tide & Thyme. I changed a few aspects of the recipe by using chicken breasts which is what I had on hand and it cuts down on cooking time. I served it with a bowl of Hawaiian macaroni salad & fresh pineapple wedges which disappeared immediately thanks to hubby.
Huli-Huli Chicken
For the chicken
1 quart water
1 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon avocado oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken piece **
**I used all boneless, skinless breasts and adjusted the grilling time accordingly. The breasts were so much better than bone in pieces!
For the glaze
3 (6-ounce) cans pineapple juice
1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (can omit if using a charcoal grill)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce
Brine Chicken
Combine water and soy in a large bowl.
Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir into soy sauce mixture.
Add chicken and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 8.
Make Glaze
Combine pineapple juice, sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, ginger and chili-garlic sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer until thick and syrupy (you should have about 1 cup), 20-25 minutes.
Prep Grill
CHARCOAL GRILL Seal wood chips in foil packet and cut vent holes in top. Open bottom vents on grill. Light about 75 coals. When coals are covered with a fine gray ash, spread evenly over the bottom of the grill. Arrange foil packet directly on coals. Set cooking grate in place and heat, covered with lid vent open halfway, until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 5 minutes. (For gas grill, place foil packet directly on primary burner.
GAS GRILL**Heat all burners on high, covered, until wood chips begin to smoke heavily, about 15 minutes.
Turn all burners to medium-low.
Scrape and oil the grate.
**IF YOU USE LIQUID SMOKE IN THE GLAZE YOU CAN SKIP THE CHIPS.
Grill Chicken
Remove chicken from brine and pat dry.
Arrange skin side up on grill (do not place chicken directly above foil packet).
Grill, covered, until chicken is well browned on bottom and meat registers 120 degrees, 25-30 minutes.
Flip chicken skin side down and continue to grill, covered, until skin is well browned and crisp and thigh meat reaches 170 to 175 degrees, 20-25 minutes longer.
Transfer chicken to platter, brush with half of the glaze, and let rest 5 minutes.