Sourdough Discard Pretzel Bites & Beer Cheese Dip

Long time readers may know that The Hubs and I played trivia weekly at a bar downtown for about 6 years before Lil' Man was born.  We seek out pub quiz and trivia nights at breweries when we travel.  A few months ago, we started up a new team with some of our HomeBrew Zoo friends for a bi-monthly trivia night at a local brewery that doesn't have onsite food.  One night, we saw another group bring in a cake and some snacks for a party, and it occurred to us...why don't we just bring food and eat here?  And thus, Trivia Potluck was born.  

Crockpot in a Brewery...not the weirdest thing you've ever seen.

Recently, The Hubs was craving cheese dip, so I decided to make some sourdough pretzel bites to go with it, using this discard recipe from Pantry Mama.  I stayed true to recipe so if you're interested in making the pretzel bites, just click on that link.  But if you're interested in our cheese dip recipe, it's below!

Note: I accidentally doubled the amount of salt in the pretzel bites recipe...flavor was fine, but I think it impeded fermentation a bit. I would also recommend using warm water to let the yeast bloom for a little while before adding everything else in.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb brick of lower sodium Velveeta-type melting cheese
• 1 lb spicy italian sausage, browned & drained
• 14 oz can of low sodium Rotel tomato-chiles blend (DO NOT DRAIN)
• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 cup homebrew or other beer (we used a pilsner)

DIRECTIONS;

1. Brown sausage, drain, and set aside.
2. Cube up the melting cheese, place in a small crockpot, and add the Rotel & taco seasoning.  Let melt/blend for 2 hours on Low, or 1 hour on High, stirring frequently.
3. Once it starts to melt & come together, add the sausage and beer, and stir.  
4. Serve warm with chips, pretzel bites, whatever else you feel like dunking in delicious cheese...and of course, with lots of friends!

I only put Everything Bagel seasoning on part of them, since I wasn't sure if it would clash with the cheese dip.

Good times with great friends!

Steen's & Tabasco Spiced Pecans

Hey y'all!  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  I hope you're having a wonderfully relaxing day full of mulled wine, cider, and hot cocoa (while your kids play quietly/destroy your in-laws house).  I wanted to share a little Christmas snack with you (that pairs well with beverages of all types).

This idea came to me while I was having a beer at Lost Forty Brewing down in Little Rock, Arkansas.  They have these AMAZING molasses & black pepper glazed pecans that I have to get every time I'm down there.  

I like to make glazed pecans around the holidays (because they're delicious and make your whole house smell like a spice factory). I've shared a few different recipes for spiced pecans with you before--some in the oven, and some made using the microwave.

But this time I decided to "Cajun" the recipe up a bit...by using Steen's Cane Syrup instead of molasses.  Steen's has been around since the early 1900's, based out of Abbeville, LA (just south of Lafayette).  Sugar cane is big business in that part of the state: about $2 Billion worth of business, covering about 400,000 acres of farmland across 22 parishes, and providing jobs to about 17,000 Louisianians.  

I see Steen's used much like some folks would maple syrup or honey--drizzled over pancakes, served with biscuits, mixed in with glazes for BBQ...there's tons of recipe ideas on their website.

Also, because I like my spiced pecans to be sweet, smoky, salty, and spicy, I wanted to add in some Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce.  If you haven't tried this yet...MAN.  You are missing out. It is the #1 used condiment in our house, and goes great with nearly everything.  Scrambled eggs, chili, grilled meat, pepper jelly, queso sauce... I even added some to a beef stroganoff the other night. It's a really well rounded, balanced flavor profile with just enough heat.

This is a super-easy, quick recipe. Takes about 10 minutes of actual labor to make, then you just let them cool and package them up!  I made several batches this Christmas to share with coworkers.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp Steen's cane syrup
3 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups pecans (about one 12 oz bag)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350*F.
In a large saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the pecans and stir over high heat, until it comes to a boil.  Then add your pecans and stir continuously for about 3 minutes--the syrup will start to thicken (but don't let the syrup  burn).

Then transfer the pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet pan, and separate as much as possible using a spatula.

Bake for about 7 minutes, then remove from the oven, separate pecans more if needed (otherwise they'll cluster together when cooled), and let cool completely.

Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks. If you try them, please let me know what you think!

Bacon Gouda Grit Fritters & Pepper Jelly Dipping Sauce

So last week I shared a recipe for grits & grillades.  Well, when I made that...I made a lot of extra grits.  Why? Because it was Potluck Time at work!  We try to do these quarterly (which, really, it's probably a good thing they're not more frequent otherwise we'd all have some serious health issues), and they're usually somewhat themed.  This one was "Spring Cleaning"--as in, what can you throw together from what's in your fridge/pantry that needs to be used up?

I'll admit...I chose this theme explicitly so I could make this recipe, because it requires cold grits as the base.  I've had this recipe in my Pinterest for-ev-er, so it's really a two-fer...I would need to make some OTHER recipe that involved grits, and then use the leftover grits to make these fritters, and then BAM--two blog posts.

Delicious, delicious gluttony. 

Also--the original recipe calls for pan-frying these.  But I did the first four as a test batch fried and burnt the crap out of my arms...plus they were trying to fall apart a little bit, so I figured the less I had to move them around, the better. I opted to oven-fry them instead (also easier since I prepped them the night before, but actually cooked them AT work right before the potluck so they'd be hot). And, you know, a little healthier too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup quick-cooking grits
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda
• 1 diced green onion
• 6 slices low sodium bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large eggs + 1/4 cup water
• 1.5 cup Panko crumbs
• 1.5 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• Misto olive oil spray
• ½ cup Red Pepper Jelly
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

Cook grits & broth according to package instructions.  Then add the cajun seasoning, gouda, green onion, and bacon and mix well.  Lightly grease a 8x8 pan and then pour the grit mixture in and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

When ready to prep your fritters, create a work station--in one bowl, combine the egg (beaten) and water, and the panko+breadcrumbs in a second bowl.  Then grab your grits and roll into small balls (I opted to create all my fritter-balls first, THEN batter them to streamline things).  

Roll each ball in the egg mixture and then toss in the breadcrumbs and place on a greased cookie sheet.  If you're not cooking right away, you can freeze these to help keep the breading crisp.

To oven-fry, preheat your oven to 425F, then spray the tops of the fritters with olive oil (this helps them to crisp up and brown).  Bake for 15 minutes, then flip, and bake for 15 more minutes.

While they're baking, you can make the dipping sauce.  In a small bowl, combine the pepper jelly, mustard, and vinegar, and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until smooth.

Serve the fritters while warm (seriously--they're no where near as good when cold or even room temp) with the pepper jelly sauce.  

Boudin Crusted Jumbo Shrimp

So, this idea was inspired by St. Patrick's Day and a delicious sounding recipe from Raised on a Roux.  The St. Paddy's idea was a boudin Scotch egg, while Genet made an andouille crusted shrimp.  Both sounded delicious, but think I started wondering--has anyone ever made a boudin-crusted shrimp?  After a quick Google search, it appears the answer is "no"...

UNTIL NOW.

Heads up--this is a messy recipe, and the boudin can get a bit crumbly, so prepare to get a little frustrated.  Also--PREP NOTE: You need to chill the crusted shrimp in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to help the boudin crust set up, otherwise it will start to crumble when you're pan-frying.  But the end result is SO tasty.

INGREDIENTS: (makes 8 jumbo shrimp)
2 links boudin, removed from the casing (we use Zummo's with is the most common one found outside of Louisiana)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko
8 jumbo shrimp, peeled, tails on
olive or coconut oil for frying (add as needed)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine the boudin and egg in a small dish and mix well. In a separate dish, combine the breadcrumbs and panko. 
Then grab a handful of the boudin mixture, place a shrimp in the middle, and then squeeze your palm lightly to wrap the boudin around it.  Add more if needed to fully cover the shrimp.  If too loose, squeeze some of the egg out.  Then gently set into the breading mixture, shake the bowl to coat the sides, and then use a spoon to make sure the shrimp is fully coated.  Then gently place onto a sheet pan.  Repeat until you run out of shrimp or boudin.  Then place the coated shrimp in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour to help them set up.

Meanwhile, heat up a small skillet and add your cooking oil of choice. (I like to use a small skillet because it takes less oil to get about a 1/4 inch of oil in the pan.  You can cook up to 4 shrimp at a time with the small skillet.

Once the oil is hot, place up to 4 shrimp in the pan (again, gently--the boudin always seems to want to crumble because the rice is only par-cooked) and fry until golden, then flip.  Once golden on both sides, you can brown on the "back" side of the shrimp.  Then remove from the pan and place on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
These would make a great appetizer, or you can have them for dinner like we did.  Serve with "shrimp boil style veggies"--we did fresh Missouri sweet corn and red potatoes, but you could do mushrooms, onions, etc.

New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp

I have to admit, being a Missouri girl, I have certain expectations when I see the word "BBQ".  Here in the Midwest, "Kansas City Style" is king--meaning slow smoked and then glazed in a thick, sticky, sweet and spicy tomato-and-molasses based sauce.  So imagine my surprise the first time I ordered BBQ shrimp in New Orleans, and got what looked like a giant bowl of shrimp scampi.

Didn't taste like shrimp scampi though.

In NOLA, "BBQ Shrimp" is typically served as an appetizer--which makes sense, given that it's jumbo shrimp swimming in a Lake Pontchartrain of orange butter (and who wants to hog a giant bowl of butter?).  This butter has been loaded down with garlic, Worcestershire, paprika, cayenne, green onions...but it's still a SEA OF BUTTER.  And what better to serve with a metric ton of butter?  FRENCH BREAD TO SOAK THAT STUFF UP.  Can't waste delicious butter, son!

I think the thing I like most about this recipe is that it is actually a SUPER fast meal to make. I mean, shrimp cook fast.  The most intensive part of this recipe is making the BBQ butter, and you can do that the night before if you like.  If you make the butter ahead of time, this dish can be ready to serve in under 15 minutes.  It feels soooooo fancy...but it's so easy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Gulf jumbo shrimp (21-30 ct), peeled (tails on is okay, though if you remove them it's easier to eat with a fork--this dish can be messy if you eat with your hands)
1 cup BBQ butter: (mix the following ingredients together ahead of time and then let cool in the fridge)

• 1 cup spreadable butter (if you use regular butter, you'll need to soften it to room temp so you can blend everything into it)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/8 cup minced garlic
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• 1/2 tsp hot sauce 
• 1 tsp Cajun Power garlic sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup diced green onion

1/2 cup dry white wine

juice of 1/2 lemon

Sliced French Bread for dipping

DIRECTIONS:

Make BBQ Butter ahead of time and put in fridge until you're ready for it.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the shrimp, cooking on one side for about 1-2 minutes.

Then flip, add the white wine, lemon, and green onions, and reduce heat to medium.  Cook until the wine has reduced by half.  Then add the BBQ butter and reduce heat to low, stirring until the butter is fully melted, the sauce is warm, and the shrimp are cooked through.

Serve hot with the French bread for dipping, garnish with extra green onions.

Cajun-Style Salmon Cakes w/ Remoulade

The bayous of Louisiana aren't exactly known for salmon.  So why am I not doing a crab or shrimp cake instead?  Well...to be honest...salmon is what I had on hand.  Simple as that.  And the MAIN reason I wanted to make these was really just to serve as a vessel for my remoulade sauce, which I was craving hard core.

You could easily use this recipe as a base for making shrimp or crab cakes, or even tuna cakes--or hey, how about some big offshore fish like wahoo, snapper or grouper?  Just replace the salmon with your desired seafood (Note: you'd want your seafood of choice to be pre-cooked or smoked.)  All of the other proportions would stay the same.

INGREDIENTS (salmon cakes-makes about 8 patties):
10-14 oz flaked salmon
2 green onions, sliced
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp creole or spicy brown mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp cayenne

Remoulade: (this is best when it's had some time to sit, so make this first, or even the night before)
1/2 cup light mayo
3 Tbsp cocktail sauce
1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 Tbsp Creole or spicy brown mustard
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 green onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
(Note: if, for time/convenience, you'd prefer to buy remoulade, I like Louisiana Fish Fry's version.)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.  If your patties don't want to stick together, add an extra beaten egg.

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil or coconut oil over medium-high heat--you should have about 1/4 inch of oil in the pan.  NOTE: This will get used up as you cook, so have some extra on-hand.

Form the salmon mixture into patties (we got about 8), and then place into the pan, frying on each side for about 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.  Place on a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Serve with a salad or veggie side dish (we were a little pressed for time so we used a Bird's Eye steamable blend), topped with the remoulade and some extra green onions.

Similar Recipes:
Feaux Krab Cakes

Jalapeno Bacon Deviled Eggs

Our friends recently decided to host a throwback 50s style cocktail party, and it was SERIOUSLY fun.  We got a babysitter for the evening so we could live it up like some wild & crazy kids! 

As part of the plan, all attendees were required to dress in their 50s finery, bring an appetizer, and a bottle of booze so we could craft classic cocktails (more on that later...probably on a Thursday?) 

I'm so proud of my group of friends--we went all out with the period-appropriate appetizers.  There was a pineapple-shaped cheese ball, puffed pastries, a crock full of meatballs, even a seafood aspic terrine (aka "meat jello").  

One of the tastiest cheeseballs I've ever had.

We were all a bit intimidated by the terrine--myself because I'd sworn off aspic after working with them at Martin's in New Orleans.  However, I decided to be brave--and I'm glad I did because it was a truly tasty work of art.

Be brave, H & C!

For our part, I used my mom as inspiration--and deviled eggs are always her go-to.  But, we decided to mix it up a bit, and make jalapeno bacon deviled eggs.  NOTE: We have a few friends who are vegetarian, so I made half the batch sans bacon, and topped these with sliced pickled okra to separate them from the bacon-laden ones.

Seriously wish I had one of those old-skool deviled egg trays!  Might have to see if I can track one down at the thrift shop.

We got a ton of compliments on these, so I'm thinking it might now my MY go-to gathering fare.  Our recipe was "pinspired" by this recipe, but I tweaked it a fair bit so my recipe is below.

INGREDIENTS:
1 dozen large eggs, hard-boiled, cut in half
3/4 cup Light Miracle Whip
1/4 cup yellow mustard
8-10 pickled jalapeno rings, seeds removed, minced
1-2 tsp brine from pickled jalapeno jar
1/2 tsp sugar
6 pieces bacon, cooked (I used thick cut applewood smoked bacon) NOTE: If you decide to make half your batch vegetarian friendly, only use 3 slices of bacon.
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, plus more for decoration
1 thin/young green onion, minced for decoration (I used a young shoot from my windowsill green onion jar)
2 pickled okra, sliced (optional, use for decoration if you're making half the batch vegetarian)

DIRECTIONS:
Remove the yolks from the halved eggs, and place into a small bowl.  Then add the Miracle Whip, mustard, brine, sugar, and paprika, and whip until smooth. Tweak spices to taste--I like my deviled eggs to have a good "twang" from the mustard.  Now add in the minced jalapenos and stir until well combined.

Cook the bacon, pat off any excess grease, and then crumble, saving 12-24 larger crumbles for decoration (depending on whether you make the full batch with bacon or not).

If you're making only half with bacon, then at this point, scoop half of your mixture into a ziploc bag, and then snip off the end to use it as a piping bag.  Pipe the mix into half your egg halves.  If there's any leftover in the bag, place it back in the bowl.

Now add in the crumbled bacon (except what's reserved for decoration) and mix well.  Place all of the remaining mix into the piping bag, and finish filling the rest of the eggs.

Now top the bacony eggs with a piece of bacon (you could also add an extra slice of pickled jalapeno if you like), and top the non-bacon eggs with the slices of pickled okra.  Dust the entire tray with paprika and minced green onions.

If you don't have a fancy deviled egg tray, you can use a 8x8 or 9x11 pan and place paper towels in the bottom.  The towels will absorb any excess moisture and keep them from slipping around in the pan.

P.S. A bonus shot of that seafood aspic...because I know you wanted a close up. ;P

Crab, shrimp, corn, tomato, avocado and cilantro.  It tasted similar to ceviche so I actually loved it.

Baked Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya Egg Rolls

Hey there—remember back in the day when I made St. Patty’s Day Egg Rolls?  Well, that little venture got a lot of gears turning, so that I just started making baked egg rolls with just about anything.  There’s the Southwest Egg Rolls, and at some point I’ll finish my post about the Sushi Egg Rolls (I forgot to take a photo of the finished product before we ate them all, which means I need to make them again!).

Really, my egg roll recipes are typically born out of necessity.  Because when you buy egg roll wrappers, there’s 20 in a pack.  And as much as I love them, we really can’t eat more than 8 between the two of us in a sitting.  Which means you still have 12 wrappers laying around, mocking you—“okay Captain Kitchen Improv, now what are you going to do with US????”  And oddly enough, I’ve never just said, “well, I have some pork & cabbage…guess I’ll just make normal egg rolls with you.”  Because that’s not how I roll. And I prefer to make baked rolls, because they’re just WAY better for you, and as long as you give a nice light spritz of olive oil on the wrapper, they still get a really satisfying crunch.
As we move through this post, you’re going to notice something---between the prep photos & the final product photos, it looks as though my jambalaya stuffing has magically changed color.  It hasn’t.  But the first time I made these, I was using my Crock Pot Jambalaya recipe, and then the second time I made them with my Chef Folse recipe.  You can choose either, depending upon your preference, time allotted, etc.  Or you can even cheat & buy some Zatarain’s jambalaya mix.  You can also mix it up & use seafood instead of chicken or sausage (or even venison).  Totes up to you.
PS—this is an awesome way to use up leftovers, if you’ve made a pot of jambalaya the night before.  And these are perfect for any upcoming SuperBowl parties you might have!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 8 egg rolls)
8 egg roll wrappers (you should find these in the produce section, usually near the tofu.  My Wal-Mart stocks them near the shredded cabbage/bagged lettuce & veggies)
about 3-4 cups of jambalaya (it can be cold or hot)
water
Olive Oil mister

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 425F.
Lay a wrapper on a clean, dry surface with a corner toward you.  Spoon about 1/3 – 1/2 cup of jambalaya onto the wrapper, not quite in the middle.

Roll the point that’s closest to you over the filling, gently squishing a bit so the filling is uniform in thickness. 
Now fold in the sides, and then roll over once toward the far point.  Now wet the far point with the water, and then finish rolling it up.

Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil, add the rolls, and then lightly spray each of the rolls with olive oil (you can use a brush to get good coverage).  This will help them to brown all over.

Bake for 10 minutes on each side (20 minutes total) so you get a good crust/seal on them. Then booyah—you’re done!

Now: dipping sauces.  They REALLY don’t need one.  But it’s an egg roll—so you sorta feel inclined to dip it.  I tried Cajun mustard, but it was a no-go: just WAY overpowered the flavor of the jambalaya.  However, you could try a remoulade with it…or ranch goes with about anything.  If you get creative & find a great sauce to go with these, please leave me a note! Enjoy!

Daniel Fast Day 16: Avocado Pesto, & Baba Ganoush!

Today’s Devotion: “Don’t Forget Who You Are-- James 1:23-25 ‘For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

You have come too far to get off course now. You have seen the hand of God (His power) & you have seen the face of God (His presence). You can’t allow yourself to forget who you are. How can you do that? By not continuing to look into the law of liberty. Freedom comes when we realize what Jesus has done for us. When we know what the word says about something we have something to stand on. Kenneth Hagin said years ago, “Faith begins where the will of God is known”, we have to know who we are in the Lord for faith to be established in our hearts & that knowledge comes from the word. It declares, you are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus, you’re the head & not the tail, above & not beneath, the righteousness of God in Christ, this is how our faith comes forth so forget anything else you have heard that is contrary to what the word says. The word is the truth, nothing else matters.”

This morning I faced a few challenges—we’ve officially run out of “breakfast proteins”.  By which I of course mean peanut butter. (Okay, so this is an exaggeration—we still have oatmeal.)  In fact, we’re running low on many of the items we bought specifically for the Fast:  AllFruit jam, PB, hummus, flatbread, to name a few.  With only 4 days left we don’t necessarily want to “stock up” on things, but all the same…we have to be able to make it through the next four days!  We may have to get creative.

Today I also had to do some field work for the first time in a few months, so I was a little concerned about the challenges that would present—mainly, if we didn’t finish up in time, what was I going to eat for lunch?  Typically when I have field work, I grab food from whatever restaurant or fast food place is close to my site, or bring a sandwich with me.  But sandwiches aren’t really easy on the Fast…especially when you ate your last piece of bread for breakfast, and don’t have a protein (hummus) to spread on them.  I threw together some pasta last night and just prayed that we would finish up in time for me to eat back at the office.  Thankfully, everything went smoothly and I was back in the office by 2pm, nommin’ down on a late lunch.

Breakfast:  ½ piece whole wheat flatbread, 1oz bag of peanuts, 1 cup pineapple, and a few grapes

Lunch: Cilantro-avocado pesto pasta w/sautéed mushrooms & onions

INGREDIENTS: (makes two servings)

Sauce:

• 1 avocado
• ½ bunch cilantro
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt & pepper to taste

 

• 2 servings whole wheat pasta, boiled
• 4 oz portabella mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp basil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Puree the avocado, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, & onion powder in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms, onions, seasonings, garlic & olive oil together in a large skillet until tender.  When the pasta is cooked and mushrooms are tender, combine, toss, and serve!

Dinner:  I bought an eggplant last week, so I decided to try to make baba ganoush for the first time.  Such a fun word.  Always makes me think of Wedding Crashers.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 eggplant
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp smoked salt (if you have it)
• 1/8 cup tahini (if you have it—you can omit if you don’t)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• dash of chili powder (I used chipotle for the smokiness)
• 1/3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley or cilantro, or about 1/4-1/2 cup of fresh

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Char the skin of the eggplant over your gas burner, or under the broiler if you don’t have a gas stove (about 5 minutes per side if you’re using the broiler).  Then roast the eggplant on a cookie sheet for about 20-30 minutes or until tender (easily pierced with a paring knife.

Remove the skin and place the flesh into a food processor along with the remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.  Drizzle with additional olive oil and garnish with lemon or olives.  Serve with pita (if you’re not on the fast), tortilla chips or crackers (if you are).  

Since we already had the chips out, we also finished off the last of the veggie chili…like cheeseless nachos! 

 

Microwave Spiced/Candied Pecans

Hey kids!  Back today with more quick sweet treats for the holidays!  Spiced nuts are a must in our house this time of year.  Having a bowl of these in the kitchen is perfect when that inevitable sweet tooth comes calling—just grab a couple and you’re good!  Better for you than a cookie or that marshmallow fudge the neighbor’s brought by!

In year’s previous I’ve always made my spiced pecans in the oven, but this year my husband tipped me off to a microwave version, and I gotta say, it’s pretty fantastic!

Note: we like our pecans with a little kick, but if you’re more of a sweets-only fan, you can omit the cumin & cayenne.

 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup light butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp clove

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 Tbsp water

3 cups pecan halves

1/4 cup granulated sugar (for coating the pecans afterward)

 

Directions:

Melt the butter in a 4 qt glass casserole dish, then add the sugar, water & spices, mix & microwave for 1 minute.  Stir in the nuts & mix to coat well.

Microwave the nuts for 4-5 more minutes, stopping to stir them once every minute, until most of the syrup is coated onto the nuts.  Then pour out onto a sheet of wax paper & let cool.

Once cooled, place the nuts into a large plastic bag with the sugar, and shake the bag to coat them well.  The sugar helps to keep the pecans from sticking to each other.