Screaming Pretzels

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Boo! Halloween is almost here and I'm getting excited!

It's one of my FAVORITE holidays.  I have the BEST memories of dressing up for Halloween as a kid and as an adult.  I just love it.  I guess I'm secretly wishing to wear costumes and play dress up!

Since I'm into the costume side of it all I don't make too many goodies for Halloween.  However, this year I came across the most adorable treats on Pinterest. These Screaming Pretzels are too cute!  Just look at those eyes...they totally make these treats.   Plus...they are sooooo easy to make!  Not only will the kids love these but the adults will love them too.

Screaming Pretzels

I can completely attest to that, as I delivered these to my co-workers and they were all gone immediately, and....they asked me to make more!  This never happens.  My co-workers are healthy-picky.  The type that never touches a sweet.  But not today!  They ate these salty sweet dark chocolate dipped pretzels right up.  The flavors are just right.

The idea originally comes from the Oriental Trading website.  Only requires 3 ingredients and a little amount of time.  I used dark chocolate this time, but I'm thinking white chocolate next time for Screaming ghosts....or orange for screaming pumpkins.  Go ahead and make them your own.  In the end you'll have a cute inexpensive treat that all will love. 

Enjoy!




Screaming Pretzels

Ingredients:

Mini twist pretzels
Dark chocolate candy melts
Candy eyeballs

Directions:

Melt the chocolate candy melts according to the directions on the package in a medium bowl.

Dip the pretzels into the candy melts, coating both sides. Shake off excess chocolate.  Place the pretzel on waxed or parchment paper making sure the bottom hole (where the mouth would be) of the pretzel is not filled with chocolate. Note:  It's okay, and even helps, if the top two holes are filled with chocolate as they hold the eyes better.

Place a eyes into the top two sections. Allow to set until firm.

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

Brimming with fresh ingredients and are loaded with bright Greek flavors!

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

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Late summer tomatoes are still everywhere you look this time of year. If you grown your own you may have such an abundance, you might run out of ways to use them into your menus. Some of my favorite ways are stuffed, roasted, grilled, or pureed into wonderful recipes.

Have you ever stuffed a tomato?  The cute little goat cheese stuffed cherry tomatoes are perfect appetizers for a holiday party.  Today's Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes are anything but boring.  These beauties are big, seasonal freshness with a new spin on the prep of a tomato.  These are just brimming with fresh ingredients and are loaded with bright flavors from Greece.  

I prepare tomatoes in so many ways like my Tomato Tabbouleh Salad or I'll freeze them as in my Big Batch Marinara Sauce.  Search tomatoes in the search bar to the right to see all my great recipes using this staple.

Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes - A perfect side dish

Some associate tomatoes with summer, and don't get me wrong, this dish is a great light and fresh summer side dish.  However, tomatoes are still in season even though it is October.  This side dish is perfect along a nice grilled chicken or served along a chicken pita pocket for lunch.  It goes with so many dishes that you will love it's versatility.  You could even make these in cherry tomatoes as appetizers.  The burst of fresh lemon and herbs will have your guests talking about these for days.

Enjoy!






Greek Style Stuffed Tomatoes

Makes 6 servings


6 large beefsteak or vine tomatoes
Salt and black pepper to taste
Minced zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups stemmed and coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
1 cup cooked white rice, cooled
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
Lemon wedges

Slice the tops off of the tomatoes.  Scrape out the pulp from the insides using a small spoon or melon baller.  Discard pulp.  Season the inside of tomatoes with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl whisk together zest, lemon juice, oil, honey, Dijon, and garlic. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Toss spinach, rice, feta, onion, and mint with vinaigrette, then divide and stuff into tomatoes; serve with lemon wedges.

source:  Issue 118 Cuisine at Home Magazine

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Let' celebrate Apple season! 

I know just the perfect way.  I'm going to make my mom's Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake.  This coffee cake just screams comfort, and fall.  Just picture taking this coffee cake out of the warm oven.  The smells of cinnamon and apples fill the house.  Serve this as a morning treat, or warm it up in the evening and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.  This is the perfect autumn recipe!

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I found this recipe scribbled on an old recipe card in my mom's recipe box.  It was quite worn from years of reference.  I can remember mom making this many many times growing up and it brings back memories of raking leaves, and then jumping in them.  Oh!, the smells of fall. 

I sure have a love for apples which I got from my mom.  I love all varieties, but tend to gravitate more to the tart ones.  I can just hear mom saying "Eat an apple, they're good for you!".    So you can imagine my joy when I came across this recipe that brought back so many good memories.

Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake is an easy one to make.  It bakes in one 9 inch cake pan, and the batter is light and crumbly instead of wet and well mixed like other cakes.  This produces a very light textured cake which you are sure to love.  It's topped with a wet crumb topping that gives it great flavor and that coffee cake style.  Filled with apples, this cake is light and delicious!

Enjoy your fall and have a piece of cake!





Bakery Style Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Cake:
1 1 / 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 / 2 teaspoon salt
1 / 4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 egg
2 large Jazz apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped

Topping:
1 / 4 cup brown sugar
1 / 2 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and the egg.  Mix until crumbly.  Add apples and stir to blend.  Place mixture in prepared pan.  

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and butter.  Mix until blended.  Sprinkle over batter in the pan.


Bake 50 - 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tropical Coconut Lime Waffles

Memories of my mom making weekend breakfasts for me revolve around homemade Biscuits or Muffins.  Waffles were usually made only once in a while, and I can recall always wanting to order them when we went on trips.

To this day, a nice waffle is a treat for me when we go out to breakfast (which is rare) or we stop in a great restaurant on a road trip or vacation.  The last time I had waffles MGG and I were sitting in a quaint mariner style restaurant on the water in San Diego.  Sitting outside with a slight breeze blowing and a nice stack of steaming hot waffles arrive covered with berries.  Oh boy!  As I dig in the tenderness of the waffles melt in my mouth along with a burst of tart berries sprinkled with a little dusting of powdered sugar.  Heaven!

Lately, I've had wanderlust.  I've been dreaming of a tropical vacation with warm ocean breezes and the smell of flowers and suntan lotion in the air.  This constant dreaming inspired me to dig out my trusty waffle iron over the weekend and make some island inspired, Tropical Coconut Lime Waffles, until I can get to my dream destination. 

Waffles are really easy to make.  The mix up quickly with items that you usually have on hand.  To make this more tropical I added coconut milk, unsweetened coconut flakes, lime zest, and juice to my usual waffle recipe.  Just as I was finishing up MGG woke up and shuffled in from the bedroom to a plate of waffles and the smell of the tropics.  The waffles were so light and citrusy that you will be tempted to put them in your weekend breakfast rotation.

These are the perfect tender and fluffy waffles with a taste of the tropics folded in.  To make these more decadent sprinkle some shredded coconut on the outside and dust with powdered sugar, or some warm maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Tropical Coconut Lime Waffles

serves 4

2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 Tbls sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups coconut milk (from a can)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tbls lime juice

1 Tbls lime zest
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Garnishes: shredded coconut, powdered sugar, maple syrup

Preheat waffle maker according to manufacturer's directions.

In a large bowl add flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, coconut milk, eggs, shredded coconut, lime zest and juice.  Stir together until combined. 

Coat waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray.  Add batter to the waffle iron and close the lid.  Cook until the escaping steam stops and the waffles are golden brown.  Remove from the waffle iron and keep warm.  Continue with the remaining portions until done. 

Serve warm.  You may sprinkle some shredded coconut over the top of the waffles and serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or warm maple syrup.  

Simple Asian Salad

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When I put a meal together I usually try and theme all the food around the same nationality.  The other day we decided to grill some Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  This spicy hot dish called for something cool as a side dish, so I decided to whip up a salad using a mix of Asian and other known vegetables.

In preparation, I headed to the local Ralph's grocery store to browse the Asian produce section.  I picked up Napa Cabbage to use as the base for the salad.  Napa Cabbage has a long shape and closely packed, pale green leaves attached to wide white stems.  It has a delicate mustard-like flavor which marries perfectly with other vegetables. 

Adding sugar snap peas, carrots, and small Japanese cucumber to the cart I had a good start.  I also added some sweetness to the salad with mandarin oranges.  I'm a sucker for those baby oranges!  Adding a little garnish or cilantro and chow mien noodles for crunch the Simple Asian Salad was born.

Top this off with you favorite Asian dressing.  We used Girard's Chinese Chicken Salad dressing, which I love.  It's lighter and a little more sweet than the typical sesame based dressing. 

Simple Asian Salad is the perfect side dish to spicy food.  I would also make a great lunch entrée.  You could even add chicken or beef to the salad for extra protein if you'd like.

Enjoy!






Simple Asian Salad

1/2 head Napa cabbage, chopped
4 oz. sugar snap peas (or snow peas), chopped
1/3 cup carrots, shredded
2-3 Japanese or Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and sliced
3 oz mandarin oranges
2 Tbls cilantro, chopped
handful of chow mien noodles for garnish
2-3 Tbls Girard's Chinese chicken salad dressing

In a large bowl add cabbage, snap peas, carrots, cucumbers and mandarin oranges.  Toss to mix.  Top with cilantro and chow mien noodles.  Drizzle salad dressing over the top and serve.

Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple

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Still feeling the summer heat?  We are. 

Even though the season has officially changed to Fall we are still getting 100+ heat in Los Angeles.  Typical for this time of year, we don't really get the fall weather until late October.  So it's still grilling season!  We love that we can actually grill all year round.  Grilled meat is the best, isn't it?

This weekend I was looking through another of my cooking magazines by BHG and came across a recipe for Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  YUM!  You had me at satay!  So I decided to make this yummy dish with a few slight modifications for our dinner.  Modifications?  Oh yea, let's spice this baby up a bit.  Then Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple happened.

Serving this with a Simple Asian Salad, this dish was fabulous!  The chicken satay cooks quickly on a grill and has a sweet and spicy beautiful glaze.  Grill up some pineapple spears or rings to go along side and serve this over rice.  The perfect dinner, or make this as game day appetizers for a group of people.  Either way this chicken really rocks!  The glaze is perfect with the Sriracha sauce added for a little heat.  You can either adjust the temperature to your liking or omit it all together.  This glaze is what makes this dish special so don't skip it.

So break out your grill and keep the summer feeling going by making this Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple.  Your sure to love it!

Enjoy!






Spicy Thai Chicken Satay with Grilled Pineapple


Ingredients:

2/3 cup sweet-and-sour sauce
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon Thai seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced

4 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
6 pineapple rings
Nonstick cooking spray
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
2 cups hot cooked rice (optional)
Fresh basil, shredded (optional)

Directions:

If using wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes in water to prevent burning. 

For Thai sauce, in a small bowl combine sweet-and-sour sauce, snipped basil, butter, Thai seasoning, garlic, and Sriracha Sauce.  Set aside.  

Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium heat. 

Brush both side of the pineapple rings with canola oil.  Place on a tray.  Thread the chicken strips onto 12-15 wood skewers accordion style.  Place on the tray.

Place chicken skewers and cook (uncovered for charcoal, covered for gas) 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning occasionally and brushing with sauce during the first half of grilling. Discard any remaining reserved sauce. Grill pineapple slices for 6 to 8 minutes or until warm and grill marks appear, turning once halfway through grilling.

Serve chicken and pineapple with hot cooked rice, if desired. Garnish with basil shreds.

Blackberry Almond Muffins - Small Batch

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I don't usually cook to much with anything almond.  If I do I tend to make savory dishes like this Chicken Amandine, or salads like this wonderful Pear Salad, instead of baking with them.

Don't get me wrong I love almonds.  They are a staple in our house, but somehow they weren't in my repertoire.  So I decided to change that right now.  I really love a big warm bear claw in the morning, don't you?  And, I've actually made those in one of the many cooking classes I've taken at Sur La Table, but...that's way to involved for me today.  I need something I can whip up quick and savor my breakfast treat pronto! 

BLACKBERRY ALMOND MUFFINS TO THE RESCUE

If you've followed me for any length of time you will know that I am unashamedly called the 'muffin man'.  I love them, and make them often.  So today's small batch treat will give you a burst of berries, along with the earthy nutty flavor of almonds that remind me of fall. 

I've made a smaller batch for you.  Sometimes you just don't need 12 muffins, when only 6 will do.  However, feel free to double the recipe and freeze any leftovers to have on the run when you want them.  Now go make muffins!  It's the weekend and you deserve them...I know I do!  You'll have 6 scrumptious muffins in no time. 




Blackberry Almond Muffins - Small Batch

Serves 6

Cook time 20-25 min

Ingredients:

1 egg

1/2 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 cup of fresh blackberries, chopped

Directions:

Place egg, milk, oil, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until light.  Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Stir until moist.  Don’t overmix…batter should be lumpy and a little thick.  Add blackberries, and gently fold them in to the batter.

Spray a non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray.  Divide batter among 6 muffin cups,  filling most of the way full.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 min.

Balsamic Flank Steak Salad with Parmesan

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Who doesn't love a good steak?

Steak happens to be my favorite cut of meat although we don't see it pop up often in our weekly menu.  Chicken seems to be the go to protein around here, but sometimes I just gotta break out a good steak for variety.

At home when we want a quick steak I gravitate toward a flank steak.  It's a long flat cut of beef that has a very prominent grain running through it.  Make sure to always cut across the direction the grain is running to ensure a tender cut of meat.  It's perfect for grilling, broiling, or even braised.  Buying this meat save me money over the well coveted filet mignon that I love.  A good flank steak that isn't cooked past medium will be just as tender and juicy.

This Balsamic Flank Steak Salad with Parmesan makes a wonderful salad for lunch or dinner.  I marinated the steak in the morning and then took it out to grill on my indoor grill pan.  Lunch turned out perfect with the most flavorful and yet tender steak, sitting on top of crisp lettuce slightly dressed with a simple olive oil and lemon mixture.  To give it a pop I shaved long Parmesan strips over the top for a little saltiness.  The result was a perfect, light, and very tasty salad.

Once you get past the marinade time the cooking goes quickly.  So plan a little ahead and be sure to try my Balsamic Flank Steak Salad with Parmesan.  It's a winner!

Enjoy!




Balsamic Flank Steak Salad with Parmesan

1- 1/2 pounds flank steak  

1/3 c olive oil    

6 Tbls   balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup red wine

1/2 tsp black pepper  

8 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1/2 tsp salt   

2 1/2 cups chopped romaine   

1 Tbls olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice  

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/3 cup)

Combine marinade ingredients of olive oil, vinegar, wine, black pepper, and garlic cloves a large sealable plastic bag. Add steak to bag and tightly seal.  Turn to coat steaks with marinade. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag a couple of times while marinating.

Heat a grill pan or a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Remove the steak and discard the marinade.  Sprinkle steaks evenly with salt and add to the pan.  Cook about 4 minutes on each side until desired doneness.  Remove steak to a cutting board and allow to stand for 5 minutes before cutting.  

In a large bowl add chopped romaine.  combine arugula and watercress in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 olive oil and lemon juice.  Toss to coat. Divide salad greens among 4 plates.

Slice steak diagonally across the grain into thin strips.  Arrange steak strips evenly over salad. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan across the salad and serve.