Spinach Basil Pesto

 

This is a new staple in my house.  I make fresh batches every other day so it is always in a jar in my fridge.  My kids literally put this on EVERYTHING.  My oldest daughter's favorite way to eat this is spread on a piece of crusty bread with a drizzle of balsamic glaze!  Soooo super good and this is really so simple to make if you have a small food processor or blender.

Ingredients:

4 big cloves of garlic

1 1/2 Cups  baby spinach

1 Cup fresh basil

1 Tablespoon pine nuts (omit this if anyone has an allergy to nuts)

1/3 Cup grated parmesan cheese

5 Tablespoons olive oil (more or less to your taste)

Preparation:

Place the garlic cloves whole into your food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped.  Now add spinach, basil and pine nuts and blend until broken down.  Next add your parmesan plus 1-2 tablespoons of oil.  Blend again until pesto starts to come together.  Add more olive oil until desired consistency.  You can service immediately or cover and refrigerate and store up to a week but it won't last that long!!

Passover Granola

Happy Passover!

This recipe is nothing short of delicious.  I was given this recipe from a new friend that I met recently playing Mah Jongg.   It's made with Matzoh Farfel and lots of yummy dried fruit and nuts.  My friend Caryn, who already made some for her family was so sweet to drop off a whole bag of mixed dried fruit so I can test this recipe.  Thank you Caryn!  I hope you try it too because it really is amazing.  If you don't have Matzoh Farfel, you can just take sheets of Matzah and place in a large Ziplock bag and crush the using a rolling pin.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Matzoh Farfel
1 Cup Almonds, Coarsely chopped
1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) Butter
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Mixed Dried Fruit ( I used Apricots, Prunes, Figs and Apples)

Preparation:

Preheat Oven to 325 F.  Spread Farfel on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-20 minutes, tossing several times until it's very lightly toasted (watch carefully)

Meanwhile in a 2-quart saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and salt.  Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Place the Farfel, Nuts and Dried Fruit in a large bowl and drizzle the Brown Sugar/Honey mixture over  top.  Toss until Farfel, Nuts and Dried fruit is coasted well.

Spread mixture back on to cookie sheet and bake in a 350 F oven for another 10-20 minutes stirring frequently to prevent burning, until Granola is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool.  Once Granola is cool you can store in an air tight container to store or just take a handful and Enjoy!

Mini Date and Walnut Cakes

These are the easiest little yummy desserts.  There are only 4 ingredients and you just mix everything together and bake in a mini muffin pan, you just can't screw these up.  The outcome are these little crispy, chewy, nutty, "cakes" Be careful, these are really delicious and before you know it you've eaten 12 all by yourself.  Save some for the rest of your family :)

Ingredients:

3 eggs beaten
1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
1 cup chopped dates (you can buy dates already chopped in a box at the grocery store, so easy!
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together and spoon into a well greased mini muffin pan.  Fill each almost to the top of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until cakes are golden brown.

**Do not line the tins with paper liners before baking.  It's best to heavily grease the mini muffin tins and bake directly in the greased tins.  Then pop out the cakes and put each one into a liner and top with half a candied cherry.

Makes 24 mini cakes

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Baking has always been an amazing distraction for me. When I am stressed out or overwhelmed by a task, I stop what I'm doing and head straight to the kitchen to immerse myself in baking. It is a relaxing activity that instantly releases all my stress and worry. So when I sat down this morning to write 5 long and boring papers for my graduate school portfolio, I knew it wasn't going to be long before I was in the kitchen baking. I lasted about 2 hours LOL. Since Thanksgiving had just ended, I still had my mom's pecan pumpkin pie on my mind (and all the ingredients still in the kitchen). I decided on a chocolate pecan pie. I have always wanted to make one and thought that this was the perfect time to test out a recipe. This recipe is fantastic! Absolutely delish! and very easy to make 

Ingredients:

1 prepared frozen pie crust
1 cup dark corn syrup
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. kosher salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 ¼ cups roughly chopped pecans, plus ½ cup halves

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°  Whisk corn syrup, sugars, butter, vanilla, salt, chocolate and eggs in a bowl; fold in chopped pecans. Distribute filling evenly over dough; arrange pecan halves decoratively around the inside edge of the pie crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving.

Almond Cookies

This was my answer to my husbands request "honey can you make something sweet to eat?"  "Sure no problem, I'll whip something up".....I'm June Cleaver after all!.  So I figured I would make some simple straight forward chocolate chip cookies but as I was preparing the batter I thought, BORING!  How about Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies?  I substituted the vanilla extract for almond extract and added sliced almonds.  I ended up making half the batter with chocolate chips and half without to make everyone in my house happy.  I really LOVED the plain almond cookies, they were light, crisp and buttery.   The next time I make these I'm not using chocolate chips at all.  The chocolate takes away from the delicious almond flavor so add the chocolate if you are craving it but try some without too and let me know which ones you like better.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (1 cup) butter or margarine
1 cup white sugar
1/4 dark brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.  In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together butter and sugars until light and creamy.  Add almond extract and eggs and beat until combined well.  Add almonds (and chocolate chips if desired) and mix until incorporated.  Drop by tablespoons on a lined baking sheet.  I prefer using silpat liners but you can also use parchment paper or reynold release foil.  Bake for 12 minutes until cookies are light golden brown.

Homemade Granola

I have been dying to make my own granola ever since watching Ina Garten do it on the Food Network. The beauty of making homemade granola is that you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand. It was a snap to make and its a great healthy snack to have around the house. 
*Side note: The house smells amazing during baking.

Ingedients:
1 1/2 C. old fashioned oats
1 C. chopped hazelnuts
1 C. sliced almonds
1/2 C. sunflower seeds
1/2 C. dried cranberries
3 T. vegetable oil
3 T. honey
2 T. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl combine all ingredients and mix thouroughly. Pour out onto a silpat or foil lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until nicely browned. Turn and stir halfway through baking.

Cool completely and store in an air tight container.

Chipotle and Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Every year for Thanksgiving I always make a spiced nut mix to serve with drinks. Everyone always gobbles them up. No matter how much I make there are never any left! I am not sure why I only make them for Thanksgiving so when we were making our menu for Chanukah this year, Ellen asked if we could have them again. They are so easy to make I volunteered to make them again. I actually found this version in The Food Network magazine from Ina Garten who is one of my favorite Food Network stars.

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil

3 Cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 oz.)

2 Cups whole walnut halves (7 oz.)

2 Cups whole pecan halves (7 oz.)

1/2 Cup whole almonds (3 oz.)

1/3 Cup pure maple syrup

1/4 Cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

3 T freshly squeezed orange juic

2 tsp. ground chipotle powder

4 T minced fresh rosemary leaves

kosher salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 T of the the vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder on the sheet pan; toss to coat. Add 2 T of the rosemary and 2 tsp of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large metal spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more tsp of salt and the remaining 2 T of rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely and store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to one week.

Sauteed Spinach with Caramelized Red Onions and Pine Nuts

When my family lived in London for two years we had an amazing housekeeper/nanny who was also a fabulous cook. This is her recipe she made for us all the time because my kids loved it so much. This is how I got my kids to eat spinach. Thanks Emmie!

Ingredients:

3 5 oz. bags of washed baby spinach

2 small red onions sliced

2 T brown sugar

1/3 C pine nuts

2 T margarine (divided)

1 tsp seasoned salt (I use Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt)

Preparation:

In a large saute pan melt 1 T margarine and add the seasoned salt. Add the pine nuts and toast until lightly golden in color and remove from pan.

Melt the remaining 1 T margarine in the same pan and add the onions and saute until softened. Then add the brown sugar and continue to cook over medium high heat until caramelized. Remove from pan and set aside. Add spinach to the pan and cook until just wilted.

Place cooked spinach on a shallow serving dish and spread out to cover the dish . Place the onions on top of the spinach and spread out. Then top with toasted pine nuts and serve warm.

Thanksgiving 101 - Cranberry Jello Mold

We have had this jello mold at every Thanksgiving meal since I can remember. We are not sure where it originated but I am guessing my Mom or one of her friends found it in a Women's magazine sometime in the 70s. it has become one of those traditional side dishes that everyone looks forward to once a year on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

1 box of red jello 6 oz. or 2 3 oz. boxes

1 C cranberry juice cocktail

2 C boiling water

1 1/2-2 C peeled diced apples

1/2 C whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 C chopped walnuts

1 C mandarine orange slices

Preparation :

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add cranberry juice. Add 3/4 C jello mixture to bottom of mold. Place in refrigerator to chill with bowl of jello for 1/2 hour.

Place oranges in the mold and put back in refrigerator and check jello in 1 to 1 1/2 hours to see if jello is slightly firm.

Add mixture of apples, cranberry sauce and chopped walnuts to the bowl of jello and pour into mold. Place back into refrigerator until set.

Upside Down Inside Out Pumpkin Praline Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Filling

I created this recipe for the 2nd Improv Cooking Challenge.  The mandatory ingredients were pumpkin and cream cheese.  I wanted to do something a little different and fun rather than just do a pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  So I came up with this upside down inside out pumpkin praline cupcake with cream cheese frosting filling.  They really do taste as good as they look.  And if you don't like cream cheese frosting, no problem, just leave it out.  Infact if you leave out the cream cheese frosting and serve these hot from the oven they taste like the most decedant pumpkin pudding cake with hot praline caramel.  It's a MUST try.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15 oz can of pure pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Praline topping:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Cream cheese frosting filling:
1/2 cup regualr cream cheese
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
6 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

First, prepare the cream cheese frosting filling - Whip together cream cheeses and butter until combine well.  Add vanilla and mix in.  Next add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach desired consistency.  Put frosting into a piping bag with a metal tip and set aside.

Next, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin tins with aluminum liners.  Spray liners generously with non-stick cooking spray.  To make the prailine topping, place butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small saucepan on the stove.  Heat on med/hi heat and stir until butter is completely melted and ingredients are combined.  Take pan off stove and add in chopped pecan, stir to combine.  Spoon 2 teaspoon of prailine mixture into the bottom of the greased cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a large bowl beat egg, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla and cinnmamon.  Spoon pumpkin mixture into cupcake liners ontop of prailine mixture.  Fill liners 3/4 of the way up.  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Once cupcakes are cool place your metal tipped pastry bag into the top of each cupcake and squeeze about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese frosting filling into each cupcake.  Once done, invert cupcake (topside down) onto a serving plate and carefully remove cupcake liner.  Serve with a fork!

Linked to Sweets for Saturday

Everyday Sisters Sharing Sundays #14

We loved all of the delicious APPLE recipes from last week.  There are so many we want to make....thank you to everyone who linked up.  This week we are keeping with the theme of fall and want to see all of your favorite recipes using NUTS!   Almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts.....anything is game.

Our Rules:
1.  Please become a follower of our blog.
2.  Please share a link back to your actual recipe post, not to your main blog page.
3.  Please link back to our blog so others can join in the fun.
4.  Leave us a comment about what recipe you are linking up.
5. Have fun!

Now let's see the featured APPLE recipes from last week:

Homeade Apple Dumplings by Cooking with K


Upside Down Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake
by The Lady Behind the Curtain

Carmel Apple Spice by Everyday Mom's Meals















Apple Bars by The Kitchen Cookie


Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake by A Spoonful of Thyme


Apple Stuffed French Toast by Semi Homemade Mom

Candied Walnuts

These are the easiest to make and OMG they are delish!!!. The trick to getting a shiny hard candy coating on the nuts is time and patience. You need to stand over the nuts and sugar and stir and stir until the sugar melts and turns amber. Everything must be melted and smooth. This was my first attempt at making these and they came out amazing. I used them in the strawberry mango salad that was posted a few days ago.

Ingredients:

2 cups of walnuts
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon butter
pinch of salt

Preparation:

Place walnuts in a dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Toast walnuts (when you can smell them, they are done). Add sugar and lower heat to medium. Stir nuts and sugar constantly. When sugar begins to melt, add the butter and salt. Continue to stir as the sugar melts. Sugar must be completely melted and free from granules. When the sugar turns an amber color and coats the nuts, remove from the heat and transfer to a greased foil lined pan and spread out into a single layer (A silpat works best to prevent nuts from sticking). Allow to cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

Cous Cous with Toasted Pine Nuts

I had Shabbat dinner at Susan's on Friday night and she made a delicious meal and this was one of the side dishes that she served, it's an Ina Garten recipe.  I was happy to be put to work in her kitchen and make this one for her.  It's so easy and absolutely delicious.  2 cups of cous cous makes enough for a small army so I would halve the recipe if I was making it for my family of 5.   My kids really liked it too although I did find all the pine nuts from my 3 year old's plate neatly stored inside her napkin ring.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)

3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups couscous

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a full boil. Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the pine nuts and parsley, and serve hot.

To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry saute pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, tossing often, until lightly browned.

Lemon Rosemary Chex Mix

My daughter Ariel loves chex mix. She decided to go on the chex website to find a new version and this is what she came up with. It was a big hit at our family brunch today.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 TBL lemon zest

2 TBL fresh rosemary minced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups Corn Chex cereal

2 cups Wheat Chex cereal

2 cups Rice Chex cereal

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup Parmesan-flavored crackers (not fish-shaped)

Preparation:

1. In large microwavable, microwave butter on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in rosemary, lemon zest garlic powder and salt. Add cereals, almonds and crackers; mix well.

2. Microwave on High 5 to 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on cookie sheet to cool. Store in airtight container.